Trump: Iranians Fear US Strait Strikes

Former US President Donald Trump affirmed that the Strait of Hormuz is open for maritime navigation, indicating that Iran's capacity to threaten ships has significantly diminished. This comes as American officials believe Washington has successfully "flipped the equation" within this strategic waterway over the past two months, granting it stronger leverage in any future negotiations with Tehran. Trump stated that the Strait is "open," adding that Iran's response has become extremely limited because Tehran seeks to avoid new American strikes. Trump clarified: "They don't want us to come back and hit them," referring to previous US military operations against Iran. Officials within the US administration believe the balance of power in the Strait of Hormuz has fundamentally shifted, especially since closing the passage was a key Iranian pressure tactic following escalating tensions in late February. An American official reported that "the equation has been flipped," emphasizing that increasing US control over the Strait could enable the administration to achieve a "better deal" with Iran should negotiations resume.