Trump Threatens Massive Attack on Iran if Hormuz Strait Not Reopened Immediately

United States President Donald Trump has said that the Strait of Hormuz will be opened “soon”. Trump threatened that Iran would be “hit very hard” if the vital strait is not reopened.

“We are having very good talks,” Trump told Fox News during his visit to California. He asserted that Iran is very eager to reach a deal to end the months-long conflict.

“The strait will be opened soon, or they will be hit very hard and then the strait will be opened,” Trump said, as reported by AFP on Wednesday (5/8/2026).

“We will [carry out] a massive attack, the biggest since World War II,” he added.

“Then they called me and said very politely, ‘Please, can we talk? Can we talk?’

“And I said, ’Yes, we can talk. Let’s settle this, finally. Let’s settle it,” Trump declared.

Earlier, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States could reach a deal with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday (5/8) local time. According to him, the deal would help stabilise energy prices.

“We are negotiating with Iran, and I think there is a possibility we could reach a deal today or tomorrow to open the strait and move towards a more normal position in this conflict,” Bessent said on Tuesday (4/8) in an interview with CNBC.

Bessent was optimistic about the impact of a deal with Iran over the strait on energy prices. He said hundreds of ships are waiting to set sail.

“Even though the situation has still been somewhat precarious over the past few days, we have seen quite a few ships sailing even now,” Bessent said.

“So, I anticipate energy prices will return to stable levels, which, as I have said, will be good for the whole world,” he added.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Ministry denied that negotiations with Washington are under way. The statement was made on Tuesday (4/8), as an unidentified projectile struck a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, the main flashpoint in the US-Iran conflict.