Trump Threatens to Bomb Oman Over Hormuz Strait and Abraham Accords
US President Donald Trump has made a controversial threat to bomb Oman unless it complies with US demands regarding control of the Strait of Hormuz. The threat emerged as Washington seeks to negotiate a peace deal with Iran to reopen the vital shipping route.
During a White House cabinet meeting on Thursday (28 May), Trump reiterated demands for Oman and other Arab nations to sign the Abraham Accords, a US-led initiative normalising diplomatic ties between Arab states and Israel.
Tensions escalated when Trump responded to a journalist’s query about a potential short-term agreement for shared control of the Strait between Iran and Oman. He directly threatened Oman, a long-time US strategic ally in the region, stating: “Oman must act like the others or we will blow them up. No one will control it.” The remarks, which shocked many, were quickly shared by the State Department’s official X account, reinforcing the White House’s hardline stance.
The Strait of Hormuz has been closed for nearly 90 days, disrupting major oil and gas shipping routes and triggering global energy price surges that threaten world economic stability. Experts warn that even if resolved quickly, the economic impact will persist for months.
Current US efforts to reopen the strait through military or diplomatic channels have failed. A US Navy plan to escort civilian vessels, announced in early May, was suspended within two days.
Trump also threatened to cancel Iran peace talks unless Middle Eastern nations show “gratitude” by signing the Abraham Accords, arguing they owe the US for handling Iran’s nuclear threat. “They owe us. I’m not sure we should make a deal if they don’t sign it,” he insisted.
Political support for Trump’s foreign policy is weakening on Capitol Hill. Despite Republican majorities in both chambers, some members are questioning the White House’s narrative on Iran, while neoconservatives and pro-Israel groups push for any agreement to include total dismantling of Iran’s nuclear programme.
The crisis is complicated by demands for Iran to surrender all nuclear materials. The Trump administration is considering easing sanctions and releasing frozen Iranian assets in US banks as bargaining chips. Regional tensions have risen since US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February, with Iran retaliating against Israeli and US military facilities in the Middle East. The Dutch government is reportedly exploring options to deploy mine-clearing vessels to the strait alongside allies, as freedom of navigation remains a global priority.