US President Donald Trump has told his aides that he is prepared to end the US military campaign against Iran even if the strategically important Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed, reported Wall Street Journal, citing administration officials, as the conflict enters its fifth week.
The decision could allow Tehran to maintain control over the strategically important waterway, leaving a potentially complicated effort to reopen it for a later phase.
Recently, Trump and his advisers concluded that any operation to forcibly clear the chokepoint would likely prolong the conflict beyond his preferred timeline of four to six weeks.
Instead, the US will prioritise its main objectives, weakening Iran’s navy and reducing its missile capabilities, before scaling back active military operations. The administration would then rely on diplomatic measures to pressure Tehran into restoring the free flow of trade, the report said.
If diplomatic efforts do not succeed, US officials indicate that Washington will likely encourage its European and Gulf allies to spearhead the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Military action remains an option but is not considered an immediate priority.
Over the past month, Trump has presented varying approaches to handling the Strait of Hormuz, a key point of contention in the US-Iran conflict.
At times, he has threatened to strike civilian energy infrastructure if the waterway is not reopened by a specific deadline. On other occasions, he has minimized its significance for the US, implying that the closure is primarily a challenge for other nations to resolve.
The extended closure of the Strait of Hormuz is already destabilising the global economy and driving up fuel prices. Multiple countries, including US allies, are experiencing disruptions in their energy supplies that previously flowed freely through the waterway. Industries relying on materials like fertilizer for agriculture or helium for semiconductor manufacturing are also confronting shortages.
Trump warned on Monday that if Tehran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the United States would destroy Iran’s energy facilities and oil wells, a warning that came after Iran rejected US peace proposals as “unrealistic” and launched waves of missiles at Israel.
