Greece will not engage in military operations at Hormuz Strait, says government

Greece refuses to join military operations in the Strait of Hormuz, limiting its involvement to the EU’s Red Sea naval mission, while the U.S. urges allies to secure the vital waterway amid Middle East tensions.

Reuters

March 16, 2026

Greece will not engage in military operations at Hormuz Strait, says government

FILE PHOTO: An aerial view Port of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates in the strait of Hormuz, December 10, 2023.

Reuters

Greece will not engage in any military operations in the Strait of Hormuz, Greece said on Monday (March 16).

Greece would only participate in the EU's naval mission "Aspides", charged with protecting ships in the Red Sea, government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis told a press conference.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday (March 15) his administration is talking to seven countries about helping to secure the Strait of Hormuz amid the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, calling on them to help protect ships in the vital waterway that Tehran has mostly blocked to oil tanker traffic.

With the conflict creating turmoil across the Middle ‌East and shaking up global energy markets in its third week, Trump insisted that nations relying heavily on oil from the Gulf have a responsibility to protect the strait.

-Production: Deborah Kyvikosaios/Reuters