President Donald Trump told aides he is willing to end the military campaign against Iran. Crucially, he will do so even if the Strait of Hormuz stays largely closed. The Wall Street Journal first reported this on March 30, citing administration officials.
Trump and his aides concluded that reopening the strait would extend the conflict. Specifically, it would push the timeline past his four-to-six-week goal. Therefore, he chose to focus instead on battering Iran’s navy and missile stockpiles. Afterward, he plans to pressure Tehran diplomatically to reopen the passage.
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt publicly confirmed this shift on Monday. She stated that reopening Hormuz is not a “core objective.” Furthermore, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Al Jazeera the strait would “reopen one way or another.” Either Iran agrees to follow international law, or a coalition of nations will force it open.
Additionally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proposed a long-term alternative. Specifically, he suggested rerouting Gulf State energy pipelines westward across Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea. Consequently, this plan would bypass Iran’s geographic choke point entirely.
However, the closure continues to hammer global energy markets. As a result, US. gasoline prices crossed $4 per gallon for the first time in over three years. GasBuddy data confirmed the milestone on Monday. Notably, roughly 20% of the world’s oil flows through the narrow waterway.
On Tuesday, Trump told Oval Office reporters that he expects to withdraw from Iran soon. “Within two weeks, maybe three,” he said. Moreover, the Wall Street Journal reported the UAE is now preparing to help allied forces reopen the strait by force, should diplomacy ultimately fail.
Sources: Wall Street Journal · Reuters/U.S. News · Time Magazine · Jerusalem Post · Haaretz
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