Speaking to reporters at the White House during a St. Patrick’s Day visit by Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, Trump said allied governments had expressed support for U.S. and Israeli actions but were unwilling to provide direct military assistance.

Trump noted that several allied countries had indicated they had no immediate plans to deploy naval forces to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime corridor through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies pass.

The comments followed calls by the U.S. administration for international support to maintain shipping access after Iran responded to joint U.S.-Israeli strikes with drones, missiles and naval mines that have effectively hindered tanker traffic.

Despite the criticism, Trump said he had “nothing currently in mind” when asked whether Washington would retaliate against allies for their stance.

“I think NATO is making a very foolish mistake,” Trump said. “Everyone agrees with us, but they don’t want to help.”

Earlier in the day, Trump struck a different tone on social media, stating that the United States no longer needed NATO assistance due to what he described as “Military Success” in the ongoing conflict, now in its third week.

In that statement, he also singled out non-NATO partners Japan, Australia and South Korea, without elaborating on their roles.

Trump has previously raised the possibility of withdrawing the United States from NATO, though he did not revisit that position in his latest remarks.

The standoff over the Strait of Hormuz has heightened concerns about global energy supplies, as disruptions in the narrow waterway can have immediate implications for oil markets and shipping routes.

The reluctance of NATO allies to engage militarily underscores divisions within the alliance over involvement in the conflict, even as diplomatic backing for U.S. actions appears to remain intact.

In a statement posted in Farsi on social media platform X, the Israeli military said it would continue to target “every successor” to Khamenei. The statement also warned individuals involved in the process of appointing the Islamic Republic’s next supreme leader that they would be pursued.The warning came as Iran’s clerical body responsible for choosing the country’s top authority prepared to meet to decide who will replace Khamenei.succession process in focusIran’s supreme leader is selected by the Assembly of Experts, a clerical council tasked with appointing and supervising the country’s highest political and religious authority. The position carries sweeping influence over Iran’s armed forces, judiciary and key strategic decisions.The Israeli statement signals a direct attempt to pressure the succession process as uncertainty grows over Iran’s leadership structure following Khamenei’s reported death.mounting regional tensionsThe escalation reflects sharply rising tensions between Israel and Iran, whose rivalry has increasingly played out through military strikes, covert operations and regional confrontations.

Israeli officials have repeatedly said they will act against Iranian leadership, military infrastructure and networks they view as threats to Israel’s security.political uncertainty in TehranThe prospect of a leadership transition in Iran has heightened scrutiny of the country’s political institutions. The Assembly of Experts holds the constitutional authority to select a new supreme leader, a process that can shape the direction of Iran’s domestic governance and foreign policy.Israel’s latest warning suggests the confrontation could extend beyond military targets to the political mechanisms overseeing Iran’s leadership transition.

In a post on the social media platform X written in Farsi, the Israeli military said it would continue to pursue “every successor” to Khamenei. The message also warned individuals involved in the process of appointing a new supreme leader that they could be targeted.The warning comes as Iran’s clerical body responsible for selecting the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader prepares to convene to determine Khamenei’s successor.Leadership succession under scrutinyIran’s supreme leader is selected by the Assembly of Experts, a clerical body tasked with appointing and overseeing the country’s highest authority.

The leader holds ultimate power over Iran’s military, judiciary and key state institutions.Israel’s statement suggests it is seeking to deter or disrupt the succession process following the reported killing of Khamenei in joint U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets.Regional tensions intensifyThe remarks underscore mounting regional tensions as Iran faces a leadership vacuum and uncertainty over its political future.Israel has repeatedly warned it would act against Iranian leadership and military structures it views as threats to its security.

The announcement came roughly a week after the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran, escalating hostilities that have spread across the Middle East. The State Department said Rubio determined an emergency existed that required the immediate transfer of weapons to Israel.Under the deal, Israel requested 12,000 BLU-110A/B general-purpose bomb bodies weighing 1,000 pounds each. The State Department said the principal contractor would be Repkon USA, based in Texas.

Emergency authority invokedIn a statement, the State Department said Rubio concluded that the sale was “in the national security interests of the United States.” The emergency determination allows the administration to bypass the standard congressional review process normally required for foreign military sales.Such emergency authorities have been used by successive administrations during urgent geopolitical crises to accelerate weapons transfers to allies.The decision was made as fighting linked to the Iran conflict intensified across the region, with both U.S. and Israeli forces conducting strikes and Iran responding with attacks targeting Israel and several regional countries hosting U.S. military installations.

Congressional criticism emergesDemocratic Representative Gregory Meeks criticized the decision, saying the use of emergency authority indicated shortcomings in the administration’s preparation for the conflict.“The Trump administration has repeatedly insisted it was fully prepared for this war,” Meeks said in a statement. “Rushing to invoke emergency authority to circumvent Congress tells a different story.”Meeks added that the decision reflected what he described as an emergency “of the Trump administration’s own creation.”Conflict toll mountsThe United States and Israel launched an air assault on Iran on Feb. 28, prompting retaliatory attacks by Tehran against Israel and several regional locations hosting U.S. bases.Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations has said at least 1,332 Iranian civilians have been killed in the attacks and thousands more wounded. Iran has also reported the deaths of several senior leaders, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

The U.S. military has said six American service members were killed in a strike on a facility in Kuwait, while Israeli authorities say at least 10 civilians have died in Iran’s retaliatory strikes.Washington has maintained strong military and political support for Israel during conflicts involving Gaza, Lebanon and Iran under both President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden.U.S. military assistance to Israel has drawn scrutiny from rights experts, particularly during Israel’s military campaign in Gaza Strip, which has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced the enclave’s population and triggered warnings of famine and genocide assessments from some scholars and a United Nations inquiry.