Time to win the Battle of Hormuz — and enforce – Latest News
President Donald Trump has rightly declared the Iran “cease-fire” to be lifeless and even more rightly made getting the Strait of Hormuz completely opened his prime precedence.
All his minions ought to get the message: Win the Battle of Hormuz.
Use all the drive it takes; something diplomacy can do (and we don’t see a lot) is simply an added plus.
Tehran’s proved its guarantees imply nothing: No sooner had the prez threatened severe penalties if Iran failed to declare the Strait of Hormuz open than it defiantly attacked a business ship and declared it closed.
“They agreed to a deal yesterday,” Trump reported Sunday. “No nuclear, no this, no that . . . And then within an hour, they launched a drone at a ship.”
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But let’s be clear right here: The aim is to enforce the proper to free navigation of worldwide waters.
That is, secure passage for business ships and no tolls by anybody, together with the United States.
Tehran is claiming it owns the Strait. Iran’s leaders (i.e., the ones controlling the missiles and drones that threaten delivery) see control of the waterway, with tolls, as their method to wring victory from the jaws of defeat.
Yet the prime objective of the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding was to get the Strait open whereas US negotiators finalized Iran’s supposed concessions — above all, a verifiable finish to its pursuit of nukes.
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Now that the regime’s proven it has no intention of ever opening the Strait (nor making real nuke concessions), it’s abundantly clear the MoU (and any future settlement) was a sucker’s sport.
Ships crusing close to the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on July 13, 2026. Photo by AFP by way of Getty Images
Meanwhile, securing free passage of that waterway is a should: The world will depend on the Strait for more than 20% of its oil; its closure strangles world financial growth and plagues US customers even when our financial system nonetheless grows.
More important is the precept: No energy grabs allowed over any worldwide waterway.
Freedom of navigation has served the world effectively for hundreds of years, and serves the Free World much better than some other association.
The US blockade of Iran’s ports (which the prez resumed on Monday) is a separate matter — a longtime characteristic of warfare; that adopted restoration of Iranian sanctions and renewed airstrikes.
It’s great that he declared the “U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as ‘THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT’ .”
But his vow that Washington will “be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped,” to cowl the prices to secure the Strait would make our nation a capo as a substitute of a cop.
Yes, different nations ought to share the burden, however, again: Freedom of navigation means no tolls, period.
Otherwise, regional powers will transfer on each world chokepoint — and the civilized world will lose the most.
Fine: Cushioned from most of the ache of US airstrikes, Tehran’s leaders have proven they’re not actually prepared to give up.
So the United States should step up assaults — finish the restricted “tit for tat” strikes; hit no matter regime targets are needed to pull Tehran’s fangs.
Maybe take Kharg Island . . . and why not begin seizing Iranian tankers?
If Iran actually needs a deal, it wants to agree to a completely open Strait earlier than some other talks proceed.
Tehran’s phrases are meaningless till its actions show it’s admitting defeat.
