The US administration is considering the possibility of launching limited strikes against Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Axios, citing sources familiar with the matter.
The report said President Donald Trump and senior administration officials are weighing the proposed strikes as a way to prevent Iran from rebuilding its radar and missile capabilities and to reduce the risks posed to oil tankers, warships, and US aircraft operating in the region.
According to Axios, the US military developed plans for the proposed strikes last week with the support of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. However, Trump has not yet ordered the military to carry them out.
The report added that the White House had been inclined last week to reject the Pentagon’s proposal, amid concerns that carrying out the strikes could trigger a broader escalation with Iran.
The developments come as Trump has vowed to respond to an Iranian attack targeting US forces in Jordan, saying the United States would deliver a “powerful strike” against Iran.
Trump also said, according to a Fox News reporter, that US forces intercepted all but one of the Iranian missiles launched by Tehran the previous day, adding that the missile that was not intercepted “posed no danger.”
The US president further claimed that Iran strongly wants to meet with the United States, while expressing doubts about whether Tehran can be trusted to reach an agreement. He also said US sanctions against the Iranian government were “starting to have a very strong effect.”
The United States and Iran had previously announced ceasefire agreements in April and June aimed at restoring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz as part of efforts to end the conflict, which has continued for roughly six months. Both agreements, however, collapsed within a short period.
On July 13, the United States reinstated a blockade on Iranian ports and imposed restrictions on shipping following the collapse of the ceasefire, seeking to pressure Tehran and deprive it of oil revenues, a major source of foreign currency for Iran.
The consideration of potential strikes in the Strait of Hormuz comes amid escalating military tensions between Washington and Tehran, raising concerns that the confrontation could widen and disrupt global shipping and energy supplies.
