Trump eyes early Iran war exit, reopening Strait of Hormuz may not be a priority

According to an assessment, any attempt to reopen the Strait of Hormuz would be complex and could push the US military campaign beyond Trump's timeline of six weeks, officials told the Wall Street Journal.

In Short

• Per Wall Street Journal, reopening Hormuz seen as complex, may prolong war
• US to focus on weakening Iran’s navy and diplomacy over strait reopening
• Military build-up continues in Middle East, at odds with early exit plan

Five weeks into the Iran war, US President Donald Trump has told aides he is willing to end Operation Epic Fury even if the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed, The Wall Street Journal reported citing top officials.

Any attempt to reopen the strategic waterway would be complex and could push the conflict beyond Trump’s timeline to wrap up the military campaign, officials told the newspaper.

The move, if carried out, would likely leave Tehran with an iron grip on the waterway, whose blockade has driven up global energy prices. A decision on launching an operation to reopen the strait could be taken later, but it is not an immediate priority, the report said.

However, Trump’s push for a quick end to the war is at odds with a major US military build-up in the Middle East. Over the weekend, the USS Tripoli and more than 2,500 Marines were deployed there. Trump is also weighing sending another 10,000 ground troops as well as a complex mission to seize Iran's uranium.

FOCUS ON 'CORE OBJECTIVES'

In recent days, Trump and his aides assessed that prying open the chokepoint would extend the conflict beyond his four- to six-week timeline, according to the report.

Instead, Trump has decided the US should focus on its endgame -- weakening Iran’s navy and missile stockpiles, then winding down hostilities while pressuring Tehran diplomatically to restore trade flows. If that fails, Washington would urge allies in Europe and the Gulf to take the lead in reopening the strait, officials told WSJ.

Washington’s shifting stance was also evident at a White House briefing on Tuesday. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said ensuring safe passage for oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz is not one of the "core objectives" Trump has set for ending the military operation against Iran.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Al Jazeera the strait will "reopen one way or another" after the US military operation ends.

"It will be open because Iran agrees to abide by international law and not block the commercial waterway, or a coalition of nations around the world and the region, with the participation of the United States, will make sure that it’s open," Rubio said.

Despite heavy losses, including the sinking of parts of its navy and sustained US bombardment, Iran has continued to threaten commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The disruption has curtailed oil flows and pushed up global crude prices, though Tehran has allowed some vessels from allied countries, including India, to pass.

Over the course of the war, Trump has repeatedly flip-flopped on his Hormuz aims. On Monday, he threatened to bomb Iran's oil wells and power plants if the crucial channel is not "open for business" immediately. On other occasions, he's downplayed its importance to Washington, instead framing it as a problem for other countries to handle.

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