Trump says US considering 'winding down' war on Iran, but other nations must guard Strait of Hormuz

DONALD TRUMP HAS said the US is considering “winding down” its war on Iran, even as his administration moves to send more troops and warships to the Middle East and request billions of dollars more from Congress to fund the war.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US president also left a muddled picture of whether America would police the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane.

Iran’s chokehold on the strait, through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil passed before the US and Israel launched their war, has led to skyrocketing fuel prices around the world.

“We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East with respect to the Terrorist Regime of Iran,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

“The Hormuz Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by other Nations who use it – The United States does not!” he said.

His comments come after another climb in oil prices sent the US stock market sharply lower.

Brent crude, the international standard, rose to $112.66 (€97) per barrel today, up 3.69% from the previous day and more than 47% since the start of the war. 

Trump had said earlier this week that the US did not need help from other countries, while also complaining that they did not help.

Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy and Japan have already said they are ready “to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait”.

But they have not made any commitment and several allies have said they will not help until hostilities have ended.

Trump had lashed out at Nato for failing to commit to provide naval escorts for tankers in the strait. “So easy for them to do, with so little risk. COWARDS, and we will REMEMBER!” he said. 

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UK to allow use of its bases

Meanwhile, the UK government today agreed that British bases could be used for US “defensive operations to degrade the missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships” in the Strait of Hormuz.

Up until this point, it has allowed the US to use British bases – including the one on Diego Garcia – only to hit missile sites targeting British interests in the region.

Speaking to reporters outside the White House earlier, Trump said it was “a very late response from the UK”. 

“I’m surprised because the relationship is so good, but this has never happened before. They were really, pretty much our first ally, all over the world,” he said. 

“I was a little surprised in the UK, to be honest. They should have acted a lot faster.”

The move will likely anger Tehran, which has already claimed the UK providing its military bases to the US to use is “participation in aggression”.

Reacting today, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said Keir Starmer’s government was “putting British lives in danger”.

“Vast majority of the British People do not want any part in the Israel-US war of choice on Iran,” he wrote on X. 

“Ignoring his own People, Mr Starmer is putting British lives in danger by allowing UK bases to be used for aggression against Iran. Iran will exercise its right to self-defence.”

‘I don’t want to do a ceasefire’

Today’s sudden announcement that he was considering scaling back operations came just over an hour after he had ruled out a ceasefire with the Islamic republic.

“I think we have won,” Trump told journalists at the White House as he headed to his Florida resort for the weekend alongside US secretary of state Marco Rubio.

“I don’t want to do a ceasefire. You know you don’t do a ceasefire when you’re literally obliterating the other side.”

Trump would not confirm a report by the Axios news outlet that he was considering an occupation or blockade of Iran’s Kharg Island, a key oil hub, to pressure Tehran to reopen the strait.

“I may have a plan or I may not,” Trump said when asked by an AFP reporter. “It’s certainly a place that people are talking about but I can’t tell you.”

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US forces today hit Kharg in strikes that Trump said had “totally obliterated” all military targets on the island, but Washington has so far avoided hitting its oil infrastructure.

Surging oil prices have put pressure on Trump to bring the war to an end, amid Republican fears the economic shock could hurt the party in November’s midterm elections.

Trump has previously said he does not plan to put boots on the ground in Iran.

But The Wall Street Journal said Washington is deploying between 2,200 and 2,500 US Marines from the California-based USS Boxer Amphibious Ready Group and 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

Asked about the reports, the Marine Corps said the two groups are “deployed at sea,” while the US 3rd Fleet said they are “conducting routine operations.”

A week ago, US media reported a separate deployment to the Middle East of some 2,500 Marines aboard as many as three ships.

More than 1,300 people have been killed in Iran during the war.

Israeli strikes in Lebanon have displaced more than one million people, according to the Lebanese government, which says more than 1,000 people have been killed. Israel says it has killed more than 500 Hezbollah militants.

In Israel, 15 people have been killed by Iranian missile fire. Four people were also killed in the occupied West Bank by an Iranian missile strike.

At least 13 US military members have been killed.

With reporting from Press Association

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