Trump declares ‘Trump Strait’ as Iran war deepens
US President Donald Trump has declared that the Strait of Hormuz should be renamed the “Trump Strait” as he claimed the United States is winning its war with Iran, while reports indicate the conflict could continue for years and has begun placing further strain on US military resources.
Speaking at a Republican midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, on Wednesday, Trump said oil prices would fall once the United States wins the conflict.
“We’re winning it. We control the Hormuz Strait,” Trump said, adding that he would announce the proposed name change.
Trump also said Iran was “falling apart” and warned Tehran against further activity at its nuclear facilities. He said the United States could strike Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain site if there was movement in the area.
“We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.
The comments came as tensions remained high around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy route, despite a memorandum signed in June that envisaged reopening the waterway as part of a broader peace process.
Conflict could continue for years
Trump’s claims of an imminent victory contrast with private assessments from senior US officials who have warned that the conflict could continue for years, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior advisers have reportedly discussed the possibility that Tehran could continue resisting US pressure despite a naval blockade, sanctions and ongoing military operations.
Trump has publicly suggested that the war could end soon, saying Wednesday that it would end “immediately” after the November midterm elections.
The conflict has now entered its seventh month and has killed 18 US servicemembers, according to the report.
The prolonged fighting has also contributed to pressure on global energy markets. US gasoline prices averaged $4.22 a gallon on Wednesday, compared with $4.01 a month earlier and $3.19 a year ago, according to the American Automobile Association.
US military presence expands
The Pentagon is preparing to extend the deployment of some US air defense units in the Middle East without setting a firm end date, while a third Marine Expeditionary Unit is expected to deploy to the region this fall, according to The Wall Street Journal.
White House officials have defended the administration’s strategy, which combines military pressure with sanctions and a naval blockade.
Vice President Vance has declined to provide a timeline for the conflict, arguing that doing so could expose US strategy to Tehran.
Iran expert Suzanne Maloney of the Brookings Institution said a naval blockade was unlikely to produce a decisive result quickly and could instead require a prolonged campaign.
US aircraft damaged in Jordan
The latest fighting has also resulted in reported damage to US aircraft at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.
CBS News, citing sources familiar with the situation, reported that about eight US F-15 fighter jets sustained minor damage during Iranian strikes carried out overnight Tuesday into Wednesday. The aircraft were subsequently returned to service, according to the report.
An A-10 Thunderbolt was also reportedly hit and lost a wing. No US fatalities were reported in connection with the attacks.
The strikes followed a US operation targeting five Iranian tankers after Iran attacked a US Navy vessel.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps later said it had attacked eight tankers, two warships and the US base in Jordan.
US forces in Jordan reportedly fired more than 30 Patriot missiles during the attacks, adding to concerns over dwindling US stocks of Patriot interceptors and other precision-guided munitions.
The developments underscore the widening military and economic pressures facing Washington as Trump continues to publicly insist that the United States is moving toward victory, while his advisers prepare for the possibility of a much longer conflict.
Source:AA
