The Trump administration is signaling a clearer, yet more controversial, approach to winding down the conflict: even if the Strait of Hormuz remains largely blocked, it is willing to end major military operations against Iran. Citing U.S. officials, The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump has told his advisers that forcibly reopening this critical waterway would likely extend the war beyond his self-set four-to-six-week timeline. As such, the White House now prefers to gradually scale back hostilities after severely damaging Iran’s navy and missile stockpiles, then apply diplomatic pressure to compel Tehran to restore navigation. If that fails, Washington hopes Europe and Gulf allies will take over. On Tuesday, Trump also publicly dismissed the Hormuz issue as “a matter for other countries,” specifically telling non-combatant allies like Britain to “go reclaim the strait themselves,” adding that the U.S. would no longer solve oil transportation problems for others.
This stance echoes his recent contradictory public statements. While threatening that if Iran does not immediately resume shipping through the Hormuz Strait, the U.S. might completely target its energy infrastructure, Trump also stated that American forces would not withdraw immediately—but ultimately, other nations must “do their own work.” European allies are confused by this messaging, especially since the Trump administration had previously urged them to focus on regional security issues such as the war in Ukraine, only now asking them to intervene in Middle Eastern conflicts. At the same time, while claiming a desire to end the war quickly, Trump has simultaneously sent additional ships and troops to the Middle East and is considering high-risk missions such as seizing Iranian uranium materials—indicating an unstable assessment of both war objectives and exit strategies. More critically, the cost of this approach is drawing increasing scrutiny. If the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, it will continue to disrupt global energy supplies, drive up international oil prices and U.S. gasoline costs, and affect industries reliant on related raw materials—including fertilizers and semiconductors. Critics argue that ending military operations before the strait reopens would be “extremely irresponsible,” because given that the U.S. and Israel jointly launched this war, they cannot easily disassociate themselves from its global economic and supply chain consequences.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1861236422299659/
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