The U.S. military is developing new contingency plans in case the current truce with Iran breaks down, including strikes on Iranian facilities in the Strait of Hormuz, CNN reported, citing sources with knowledge of the situation.
Among the options are strikes aimed at “dynamically hitting” small speedboats, mineships and other asymmetric targets that have helped Tehran obstruct shipping in the strait, the southern Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, CNN reported on 23 April.
The renewed campaign could also target missiles, launchers and production facilities that have survived previous U.S.-Israeli strikes, as well as dual-use infrastructure or senior Iranian figures accused of obstructing negotiations, it said.
A US Defence Department official said the military continues to provide President Donald Trump with options and that “all options remain on the table”.
Trump is pushing to open the Strait of Hormuz while signalling the superiority of diplomacy.
The US president said on 23 April that he had ordered the US Navy to “shoot and destroy” any boat laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, adding that minesweepers were working “triple time”.
In a subsequent social media post, Trump also indicated that Iran was trying to elect a leader and said the Strait of Hormuz is under US control, no vessel moves without US Navy approval, and the waterway is “tightly closed”.
Late in the evening of 21 April, the US president announced a day before the ceasefire with Iran was due to expire that the truce would be extended.
On 23 April, Trump told reporters “don’t rush me” when asked how long he was willing to wait for a peace deal in a war that has lasted since 28 February, and noted that he could “right now” strike a peace deal with Tehran if he wanted to, but stressed that he wanted the agreement to be long-term.
While Washington has increased pressure on Iran’s economy by limiting its oil revenues by blocking the Strait of Hormuz, Iran has refused to sit down at the negotiating table unless the United States lifts the blockade.
The U.S. had previously insisted that the blockade would end only after a peace agreement was signed.