US weighs limited strikes in Strait of Hormuz as tensions with Iran escalate
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump and senior US officials have been considering limited strikes in the Strait of Hormuz to prevent Iran from rebuilding radar and missile capabilities that could be used to attack ships, according to a report by Axios.
The plan was developed over the past week by US Central Command (Centcom) and is backed by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to officials quoted by Axios and repeated by Times Now and TASS. Trump had not approved the strikes before a fresh exchange of fire with Iran over the weekend, but the latest escalation could lead him to reconsider.
One US official quoted in the report said the aim would be to reduce the risk to oil tankers, US Navy ships and Air Force aircraft by periodically targeting Iranian military capabilities. A White House official said: "The President retains all options at his disposal. The Iranians want to make a deal, but they are always a day late and a dollar short."
Military campaign in the strait
The US military has spent the past two months gradually taking control of much of the Strait of Hormuz, according to US officials. The campaign has involved efforts to degrade Iranian military capabilities, clear sea mines and guide ships through the strategic waterway.
The operations have reduced Iran's ability to target oil tankers while allowing more ships and oil exports to pass through the strait, according to the officials. They have also weakened Tehran's leverage over the crucial oil route.
One incident in recent days involved an Iranian anti-aircraft missile being fired towards a US F-35 fighter jet providing cover for ships in the strait, a US official said. The missile did not come close enough to pose a threat, but the official said the incident suggested Iran was rebuilding its military capabilities.
Options on the table
Centcom has told Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Dan Caine and the White House that the US military may need to carry out periodic strikes against Iran to keep dozens of oil tankers moving safely out of the Gulf each day, officials said.
According to the Axios report, the White House last week was leaning towards ultimately rejecting the plan to avoid escalation. However, Trump told Fox News on Monday that Washington would deliver a powerful retaliatory strike against Iran after a nighttime attack on American forces in Jordan.
According to Trump, the American air defense system intercepted all Iranian missiles except for one, which was not shot down because it was expected not to hit a significant target.
Exchange of fire
Iran launched ballistic missile attacks on US bases in Jordan on Sunday, according to reports. In response, the US struck Iranian troops who, according to Washington, were preparing to launch missiles carrying mines into the Strait of Hormuz.
Axios correspondent and Israeli TV channel 12 correspondent Barak Ravid reported that the US hit two missile launchers on Larak Island in southern Iran. According to his source, Iran allegedly intended to use these launchers to "launch missiles carrying naval mines into the Strait of Hormuz." In response, Iran hit US bases in Jordan and the UAE.