EU leaders back naval mission to Persian Gulf

European leaders have backed a plan to deploy naval forces to the Persian Gulf to protect commercial shipping, a move that comes even after Iran announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. French President Emmanuel Macron is pushing for a European-led mission without direct U.S. involvement, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has argued Washington should be included. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called for a lasting arrangement to keep trade flowing through the strategic waterway.