**European governments have consistently prioritized defensive naval operations, diplomacy, and freedom-of-navigation efforts over direct offensive military involvement in the ongoing US-Iran conflict that began in early 2026.** EU foreign ministers have rejected expanding Operation Aspides or joining US-led strikes, citing a lack of appetite for active participation in the war despite tanker attacks in the Strait of Hormuz reaching recent highs and Iranian threats to regional shipping. France and the UK have advanced proposals for post-conflict Hormuz protection coalitions framed strictly as defensive, with limited asset deployments for intercepts or mine clearance. Internal divisions, resource constraints, and a focus on de-escalation negotiations continue to shape this restrained approach, even as hybrid threats and basing issues affect European territory.