Trump threatens Oman over Strait of Hormuz shipping deal with Iran

President Donald Trump has escalated threats against Oman, warning that the U.S. could bomb the Gulf nation if it obstructs a proposed Strait of Hormuz shipping arrangement with Iran. The warning comes as Iran and Oman finalize details of a plan to reopen the strategically vital waterway, which Iran effectively closed after attacks on Feb. 28. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei confirmed an understanding had been reached on a transit route map, with ships expected to enter near Iran and exit near Oman without paying fees during an interim period. The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil supplies passed before the conflict, has been a focal point of U.S. demands for reopening. Meanwhile, the 60-day negotiating period for a U.S.-Iran peace deal expired on Aug. 16, 2026, with no extension announced and both sides remaining far apart. Trump reiterated to Fox News that the U.S. has a backchannel open with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, despite public defiance from Tehran. His latest threats follow earlier remarks in May, when he told reporters Oman would “behave just like everybody else, or we will have to blow them up.” The proposed Hormuz deal is seen as a critical step toward easing regional tensions, but its implementation remains uncertain amid ongoing hostilities. In related developments, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for attacking a ship and four military boats in the Red Sea near the Bab el-Mandab Strait on Aug. 17, alleging the vessels belonged to Saudi Arabia. The rebels also launched a drone strike on government forces in Marib province. Separately, two drone attacks targeted officials in Iraq’s Kurdish region, including the office of regional prime minister Masrour Barzani and the home of a top intelligence official, though no casualties were reported. The attacks were attributed to a source near the Iran-Iraq border, marking an unusual escalation beyond the typical U.S. or Iranian Kurdish dissident targets.