Trump Threatens Military Strike Against Oman Over 'Collusion' with Iran
United States President Donald Trump threatened military action against Oman if it colludes with Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital passage handling over 20% of global oil shipments. During Wednesday’s cabinet meeting, a journalist asked Trump about a potential short-term arrangement allowing Iran and Oman to oversee the strategically important waterway. Trump responded: ‘No one will control it. It’s international waters, and Oman will behave like others, or we will have to blow it up.’
Despite initial speculation that Trump may have confused ‘Oman’ with ‘ Iran’, the US State Department later shared the comments on social media, with a transcript referencing the Arab state. Oman, known for its neutrality, has not expressed any intention to collaborate with Iran in controlling Hormuz. The US and Oman have been close allies for over 200 years, with numerous agreements including security partnerships, free trade pacts, and science and technology deals.
Oman previously acted as a key mediator between Washington and Tehran during the conflict that began on 28 February, when the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran. Trump’s remarks highlighted his increasing reliance on military power in foreign policy, a strategy critics label ‘ battleship diplomacy’. Raed Jarrar, director of advocacy at US-based human rights group DAWN, commented: ‘ The UN charter prohibits threats of violence against any nation, binding the US as it does all others. Threatening to ‘ blow up’ an Arab state over waters that Washington wants to reopen is lawless logic that led to this February’s war, and signals that any ceasefire brokered by this administration will only last until the president loses patience again in a cabinet meeting.’
The threat emerged after Iranian state media reported a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two countries, with a draft granting Iran and Oman joint control. The White House dismissed the reports as ‘ entirely fabricated’. Hormuz, a key artery for global energy and agricultural fertiliser, has operated as free international waters for decades. However, after the US and Israel began strikes on Iran in February, Tehran closed the strait and asserted sovereignty over parts of it.
During Wednesday’s cabinet meeting, Trump also repeated calls for Arab states, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, to establish formal ties with Israel as part of a future US-Iran ceasefire. The push for normalisation resurfaced as a priority for Trump, who threatened to withdraw from negotiations if more Arab states refuse to sign. ‘ I think they owe it to us, honestly,’ Trump said during the roundtable. ‘ I’m not sure we should make a deal if they don’t sign it, if you wanna know the truth.’ The White House did not comment on these remarks.