France, Italy and Poland refused to support American military operations in the Middle East, provoking a sharp reaction from President Trump who called European allies "cowards."

Poland refused to send Patriot missile systems to the Middle East, France banned overflights of its airspace by American military aircraft, and Italy denied American bombers landing permission at the Sicily air base.

"Without the US, NATO is a paper tiger! They refused to participate in stopping Iran with nuclear weapons. Now they complain about high oil prices but won't help open Hormuz," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The president called on European countries to independently take control of the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing that Iran is "essentially destroyed" and that "the hardest part is done." Several European countries, including Spain, have already closed their airspace to American military flights.