CAIRO - 31 March 2026: U.S. President Donald Trump has told aides that he is willing to end the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran even if the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing Trump administration officials.
Trump and his aides recently assessed that a mission to pry open the crucial global energy waterway would push the war with Iran beyond his timeline of four to six weeks, said the report.
As a result, Trump decided that the United States should focus on achieving its primary objectives of crippling Iran's navy and missile stockpiles while simultaneously pressuring Tehran diplomatically to restore the free flow of trade through the strait, and, if these efforts fail, the White House would press European and Gulf allies to take the lead in reopening it, according to the officials.
Military options remain on the table, but they are not Trump's immediate priority, the officials added.
Despite these assessments, Trump's public messaging on the war with Iran has been inconsistent.
Lebanon was pulled into the war in the Middle East when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in solidarity with Tehran, two days after Iran was attacked by Israel and the United States. Hezbollah's attack prompted a new Israeli ground and air offensive.
Comments
Leave a Comment