As the Trump administration looks for an exit ramp from its war in Iran, some U.S. officials are floating a crazy way to wrap it up.
The administration believes that a huge show of force to conclude the war could give the U.S. more leverage in peace talks, Axios reported. It could also just allow the Trump administration to simply declare victory and move on from the deadly war.
The Pentagon is cooking up several military options for a “final blow” in Iran, which could include using U.S. forces on the ground and a huge bombing campaign, according to the report.
Some ideas include invading or blockading Kharg Island, which is Iran’s largest oil export hub, or invading the island of Larak, which has helped Iran control the Strait. The administration is also considering blocking ships exporting Iranian oil on the eastern side of the Strait of Hormuz.
This type of escalation will become more likely if no progress is made in diplomatic talks or if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed to cargo ships, according to the report.
President Donald Trump had been repeatedly warned by his top generals that Iran would likely disrupt the Strait of Hormuz in response to a U.S. attack, but moved forward with “Operation Epic Fury” anyway.
Iran’s closure of the Strait has become a nightmare for the Trump administration as gas and oil prices have skyrocketed domestically, all while the Strait has emerged as a key point of leverage for Tehran.
Iranian officials have expressed skepticism about negotiating with the Trump administration’s top Middle Eastern negotiators: Trump’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
The country has said it will only negotiate with Vice President JD Vance, as it views him as, at his core, skeptical of American intervention in the Middle East.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday that the president is prepared to strike “harder than ever before” if a deal cannot be reached.
“The President doesn’t bluff and he is ready to unleash hell. Iran shouldn’t miscalculate again,” Leavitt said. “Any violence beyond this point will be because the Iranian regime... refuses to come to a deal.”
In the meantime, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is pushing for his country to “facilitate meaningful and conclusive talks” between the U.S. and Iran in Islamabad.
