Pentagon chief calls on NATO to act on Strait of Hormuz shipping crisis
March 31, 2026
Al Jazeera English
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has called on NATO allies to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed by Iran during the ongoing war. About 20 percent of the world's oil supplies pass through the waterway. President Donald Trump criticised NATO countries, particularly France and the UK, for refusing to assist, telling them to buy American oil or "just take it" from the strait.
Spain has banned the US from using its military bases, calling the US-Israeli action against Iran "unjustified aggression". The US continues to increase its military presence in the region, whilst Gulf states urge a swift peace deal. Rising oil prices in the US, now at a four-year high, have intensified pressure on the administration. Al Jazeera's Alan Fisher reports from the White House. Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on X: https://X.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.news/AJEMobile #PeteHegseth #Trump #StraitOfHormuz #US #Iran #PentagonPressBriefing #OperationEpicFury #USIsraelWarOnIran #Pentagon #IranRetaliation #IranWar #NATO #CENTCOM
Al Jazeera English
Coverage and analysis from Qatar. All insights are generated by our AI narrative analysis engine.