It has been almost five weeks since the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran began; However, there are no signs of this conflict or the accompanying rising tensions in the Middle East abating. US President Donald Trump has already threatened to launch major military action against Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz; Yet, meanwhile, many of America’s key allies have refused to join the war against Iran. This group includes countries such as Britain, Germany, Spain, Australia, and—most recently—Italy.
As a result, President Donald Trump finds himself even more isolated in the ongoing conflict with Iran. Moreover, the President himself seems quite ambivalent about the possibility of attacking Iran; Sometimes, he says the aim is to attack Iran’s oil infrastructure, while other times, he suggests targeting its uranium plants. Internal opposition to this conflict continues even within America. Before authorizing such major military action against Iran, Trump took his own country to task and launched a hasty attack—a move that is now widely considered a grave mistake on his part.
**Trump’s assessment: The war will extend beyond the mission to reopen the Strait**
Citing a US administration official, *The Wall Street Journal* reported that President Donald Trump has informed his aides that he is ready to end military operations against Iran, even if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed for a long time. Trump’s statement comes just a day after his threatening statement in which he warned Iran that if Tehran did not allow ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the US would destroy its power plants and oil wells.
According to the report, Trump indicated that he would postpone—until a later date—the complex operation required to forcefully reopen the vital sea route; This route helps transport about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply. Their assessment suggests that a mission to forcefully reopen the route would prolong the conflict beyond their estimated four to six weeks.
Britain withdraws from Iran conflict
Britain’s decision not to get involved in the ongoing conflict with Iran has dealt a major blow to both America and President Donald Trump. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer refused to allow the use of his country’s airspace or the deployment of British troops to the conflict. “This is not our fight. We will not get involved in it,” he said. He further said that the UK will continue its efforts to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, but will not be dragged into the fight.
Spain shocked US
Ahead of Britain, Spain banned aircraft involved in the conflict with Iran from using its airspace in a blow to the US. Spain has also barred the US from using its Rota and Moron bases for combat operations or refueling purposes.
Italy refuses to allow US bombers to land
According to a report in the Italian daily *Corriere della Sera*, an official—on condition of anonymity—revealed that several US bombers wanted to land at a base in eastern Sicily before heading to the Middle East; However, Italy refused permission for this. The official said Italy rejected the request because the US had not completed the process of seeking formal approval or discussing the matter with Italy’s military leadership—processes that are mandated under the treaty between the two countries.
