Overview:
Tensions within the West are deepening as the Iran conflict widens, with Friedrich Merz declaring the war “not a matter for NATO” and ruling out German military involvement. The pushback comes as Donald Trump pressures allies to act swiftly to reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz, while Britain signals caution amid fears of economic fallout and a broader regional escalation.
March 16,2026
In short:
(ABC-Australia) The Iran conflict started by US and Israeli strikes is “not a matter for NATO”, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says.
It comes as Donald Trump demands US allies “get involved quickly” in unblocking the Strait of Hormuz shipping channel, while warning members of NATO the alliance faces a “very bad” future if they do not do their bit.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer says Britain “will not be drawn into the wider war” but is “looking through the options” to help the shipping channel reopen.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-17/iran-war-europe-hormuz-trump-oil/106462130?utm_campaign=abc_news_web&utm_content=link&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_news_web
The war in the Middle East started by US-Israeli strikes on Iran is “not a matter for NATO”, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said, as Donald Trump repeats his demand that European allies help unblock the Strait of Hormuz.
The US president has called for nations including South Korea, France, China and Britain to help ensure safe passage for oil tankers in the shipping lane, which is effectively closed due to the threat of Iranian fire.
Iran war live updates: For the latest news on the Middle East crisis, read our blog.
He has also upped the pressure on NATO allies, telling the Financial Times newspaper that the alliance faced a “very bad” future if its members did not do their bit to reopen the strait.
Now, Mr Merz is among those to hit back, saying: “It has been clear at all times that this war is not a matter for NATO.”
He added that the US and Israel “did not consult us prior to this war”.
“There was never a joint decision on whether to intervene. That is why the question of how Germany might contribute militarily does not arise. We will not do so,” he said.
Mr Merz ruled out Germany sending ships to the Strait of Hormuz.
“For as long as the war continues, we will not be involved in ensuring free passage in the Strait of Hormuz by military means,” he said.
His spokesman Stefan Kornelius earlier also said the war had “nothing to do with NATO”.
“NATO is an alliance for the defence of territory” and “the mandate to deploy NATO is lacking”, Mr Kornelius told a regular press briefing.
Speaking in Washington on Monday, Mr Trump hit out at allies who “don’t want to get involved” in guiding ships through the channel, telling reporters: “We strongly encourage the other nations to get involved with us and get involved quickly and with great enthusiasm.”
Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who has also appeared at odds with the US president in recent weeks, said he was “looking through the options” to unblock the shipping route, but added during a press conference in Downing Street on Monday that Britain “will not be drawn into the wider war”.
“Ultimately, we have to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to ensure stability in the [oil] market. That is not a simple task,” Mr Starmer told reporters.
“So we’re working with all of our allies, including our European partners, to bring together a viable collective plan that can restore freedom of navigation in the region as quickly as possible and ease the economic impact.”
Europe fearing refugee crisis
Foreign ministers in Estonia and Poland also publicly flagged a desire for more information from the US over its war aims, which have remained somewhat ill-defined since the US and Israel began strikes on Iran in late February.
France said it was working with countries — President Emmanuel Macron mentioned partners in Europe, India and Asia — on a possible international mission to escort ships through the strait but stressed fighting must subside first.
French senior officials, speaking anonymously on ongoing talks, said the Netherlands, Italy, and Greece had shown interest and that Spain might be involved in some way.
The EU is anxious that a potential refugee crisis in Iran will develop if the war continues.
“Although for now, the conflict has not translated into immediate migratory flows toward the EU, what the future holds remains unclear and necessitates the full mobilisation of every migration diplomacy tool we have at our disposal,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement on Sunday.
In a sign the inflationary impact of the conflict was growing, on Monday Ms von der Leyen said the Iran war threatened to have a “significant impact” on the European economy.
She also signalled that the bloc could implement measures to bring down the cost of energy.
Israel in ‘limited’ ground operation against Hezbollah
The Israeli military said on Monday it had begun what it described as “limited ground operations” against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, with Defence Minister Israel Katz warning that those displaced would not return home until northern Israel was secure.
Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 when the Tehran-backed Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes.
Israel responded with air raids on its northern neighbour and troop incursions into border areas.
“In recent days, IDF troops from the 91st division have begun limited and targeted ground operations against key Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon, aimed at enhancing the forward defence area,” the military said in a statement.
“This activity is part of broader defensive efforts to establish and strengthen a forward defensive posture, which includes the dismantling of terrorist infrastructure and the elimination of terrorists operating in the area, in order to remove threats and create an additional layer of security for residents of northern Israel,” it said.
“Prior to the troops’ entry into the area, the IDF conducted strikes using both artillery and the Israeli Air Force.”
Dubai airport reopens after strike
Missiles and drone attacks struck across the UAE, with a drone-related incident sparking a fuel tank fire near Dubai airport that disrupted travel, while a missile killed a civilian in Abu Dhabi.
In the eastern emirate of Fujairah, a drone attack on oil infrastructure sparked a fire, days after an AFP journalist saw smoke rising from a major Emirati energy installation in the emirate.
The attacks came a day after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview that rockets had been launched from the UAE to attack Kharg Island. UAE officials have denied the claim.
A Palestinian civilian was killed on the outskirts of the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi when a missile hit their car, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said in a statement.
The UAE has reported seven deaths since the war began, including five civilians and two military personnel, who died in a helicopter crash blamed on a technical malfunction.
Earlier on Monday, Dubai Airports said flights were gradually resuming at what is usually the world’s busiest airport for international flights, following the nearby fuel tank fire sparked by a “drone-related incident”.
Authorities said they had contained the fire and reported no injuries.
Dubai airport has been targeted by several attacks since Iran began its Gulf campaign, as have many airports in the Gulf.
AP/AFP