MARCH 17, 2026 — Donald Trump is fuming again — this time because America’s closest allies have refused to send warships to escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. Germany, Spain, and Italy flatly said “no thanks,” citing the lack of a UN or NATO mandate. 

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was blunt, saying, “We lack the mandate from the United Nations, the European Union or NATO required under the Basic Law.” 

What exactly happened? Well, simply put, Washington didn’t even bother to consult before launching airstrikes on Iran, and now it wants backup.

This is the third week of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, and the Strait of Hormuz — through which 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas flows — remains largely closed. That choke point is the jugular vein of global energy. Every drone strike, every naval mine, every missile fired in that narrow waterway sends oil prices swinging and inflation fears rising. 

For us who already feel the pinch of rising fuel costs, this is not just a distant geopolitical drama — it’s a direct hit on our wallets.

Israel, meanwhile, is doubling down. Its military says it has “thousands” of targets left in Iran, striking nuclear facilities, missile infrastructure, and even Iran’s space program. 

Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani declared, “We want to make sure that they are as weak as possible, this regime, and that we degrade all their capabilities.” 

But allies like Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Britain are warning that a full-scale Israeli ground offensive could unleash “devastating humanitarian consequences.” 

This war could spiral into something far worse, and nobody wants to be dragged into it.

Iran is hitting back hard. Its drones shut down Dubai airport, struck oil facilities in the UAE, and even targeted U.S. bases in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned civilians near U.S.-owned plants to evacuate, threatening to expand the battlefield. 

Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi accused “neighbouring states” of encouraging the killing of Iranians, while aid workers in Tehran pulled children from bombed-out residential alleys. 

For us, though, the question is simple: How much longer can we afford to treat this as someone else’s war? Every spike in oil prices trickles down to jeepney fares, electricity bills, and food costs. Every disruption in Gulf shipping routes rattles the global economy we depend on. And every escalation raises the risk of a wider conflict that could pull in Asia, especially with U.S. bases in Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines potentially becoming targets.

Trump’s frustration is telling. 

He complained, “Some are very enthusiastic about it, and some aren’t. Some are countries that we’ve helped for many, many years. We’ve protected them from horrible outside sources, and they weren’t that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm matters to me.” 

But enthusiasm doesn’t pay for war. Allies are wary of being dragged into a fight they didn’t sign up for, especially one that looks more like a U.S.-Israeli crusade than a collective defense mission.

Here in Manila, we’re hounded by sharper questions. Do we continue to rely on imported oil from volatile regions, knowing that every missile in Hormuz can jack up our prices overnight? Do we stay silent while superpowers play war games that destabilize the very economies we depend on? Or do we start demanding accountability from our own leaders about energy security, diversification, and foreign policy alignment?

The Strait of Hormuz may be thousands of kilometers away, but its tremors are felt in every Filipino household. And if Trump’s allies are already saying “no” to his warship call, maybe it’s time we also ask: Why should we keep paying the price for wars we didn’t start? How long will we allow distant wars to dictate the price of our daily lives?

(Image: Yahoo News)