Iran Conflict Steps Aside, Trump Threatens to Bomb New Country in the Arab World

US President Donald Trump threatened to attack his ally, Oman, a Middle Eastern country, if the Arab nation fails to take control of the Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between Oman and Iran, serving as a vital global energy route, handling 25% of the world’s seaborne oil trade and 20% of liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments. The waterway has effectively been closed since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran in February.

According to Reuters, Trump made the statement after Iranian state television reported that they had received an unofficial draft agreement to reopen the vital waterway, which would see Iran and Oman jointly manage maritime traffic.

“No, the strait will be open to everyone,” Trump told reporters during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, as reported by RT on Friday, 29 May 2026.

“We will monitor it, but no one will control it. This is part of the negotiations we are conducting,” he added.

“This is international waters. And Oman will behave like any other country, or we will blow them up. They understand that. They will be fine,” Trump said.

Oman has previously acted as a mediator in nuclear talks with Iran until the conflict halted those efforts. Currently, Pakistan has taken over peace negotiations.

Previously, Iran closed the route to ships from “enemy nations” following US-Israel airstrikes, while the US imposed its own blockade on Iranian ports in April. Tehran has since insisted on its “sovereign right” to regulate traffic through the strait and collect tolls.

Iran’s peace conditions reportedly include demands for compensation, withdrawal of US forces from the region, and an end to Israel’s wars in Lebanon and Gaza. The US has demanded Iran fully dismantle its nuclear programme, which Tehran insists is entirely peaceful.