Today's Lianhe Zaobao reports: "U.S. government officials told The Wall Street Journal that President Trump informed his aides he was willing to end U.S. military operations against Iran, even if the Strait of Hormuz remained largely blocked."
Commentary: Trump is unwilling to bear the long-term cost of a prolonged war to open the Strait of Hormuz. Instead, he opts for limited strikes to achieve superficial objectives, shifting the burden of resolving navigational issues onto diplomacy and allies. Fundamentally, this reflects a priority on controlling conflict costs and avoiding the risk of full escalation—seeking to maintain deterrence while refusing to get deeply entangled.
At its core, Trump’s idea boils down to not wanting to continue dragging on in the Middle East. After a brief campaign, he realized the costs were too high and risks too great, fearing the conflict might extend beyond his self-imposed deadline. So, he chooses to cut losses early—even if the strait isn’t truly open—by ending military operations temporarily and leaving the mess unresolved for now.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861149867501577/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.