President Donald Trump (R-FL) said a total victory over Iran could be achieved within two weeks [1] as missile attacks continue.
The escalation threatens to widen a regional conflict into a direct war between the U.S. and Iran, potentially disrupting global energy markets via the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran and Israel are currently exchanging missile and drone strikes across their respective territories and the Strait of Hormuz [2]. The conflict has now entered its fourth week [3]. Amid this volatility, President Trump has urged residents of Tehran to evacuate their homes while warning of possible U.S. strikes on Iranian infrastructure [4].
The U.S. administration is specifically focusing on the maritime security of the Middle East. President Trump said he would attack Iranian power plants if Tehran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours [5]. White House spokesperson Mike Leavitt said the president is expected to make a decision regarding direct action against Iran in the next two weeks [6].
Internal contradictions remain regarding the U.S. approach to Israeli retaliation. In an interview with The Hill, Trump said, "I call the shots. I call all the shots. He [Netanyahu] doesn’t call the shots" [7]. Reports from that interview indicated Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a telephone call Sunday not to retaliate against Iranian drone strikes [7]. However, other reports indicate Trump urged a strong response and threatened the aforementioned strikes on power plants [8].
Despite these conflicting signals, the U.S. continues to position itself for potential direct action. The president's claim of a rapid victory suggests a strategy of overwhelming force to compel Iranian compliance regarding the Strait of Hormuz [1, 5].
“"I call the shots. I call all the shots. He [Netanyahu] doesn’t call the shots."”
The current volatility reflects a high-stakes gamble by the U.S. administration to use the threat of infrastructure destruction to secure the Strait of Hormuz. By issuing evacuation warnings for Tehran and setting a 48-hour deadline, the U.S. is attempting to shift the conflict from a proxy exchange between Israel and Iran into a direct confrontation where the U.S. dictates the terms of victory.
