Hormuz dilemma denies Trump administration easy exit from Iran war
Iran’s forces are practiced in sabotage, threatening the shipping channel as the US military tries to thwart Tehran’s efforts to disrupt the global economy.
WASHINGTON — Two weeks into the US and Israeli war with Iran, the conflict appears to be approaching a crossroads as neither side has yet achieved its strategic objectives and both signal their intent to press ahead.
On Thursday, new Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued his first public statement since succeeding his father, rebuffing US President Donald Trump’s call for “unconditional surrender” and saying his government would continue to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and pursue revenge for those killed by the US and Israel in the war.
Khamenei’s public stance appeared to directly challenge Trump’s threat earlier this week to unleash a new wave of “devastating” US military strikes on “easy” targets in Iran, including the country’s electrical grid, if the leaders of the Islamic Republic continue to impede the flow of oil from the Gulf region.
In another sign of defiance, six cargo vessels reported having been struck overnight into Thursday in and around the strait — four with projectiles and two with explosive unmanned boats, according to maritime monitoring groups.
