Trump threatened military action against Oman as Muscat works with Iran on a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz
US President Donald Trump has issued a stunning warning to Oman, threatening to bomb the Gulf nation if it interferes with US efforts over the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking to Fox News, Trump was asked about reports that Oman and Iran were working on an arrangement to reopen the waterway. His response was blunt: “If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the s* out of them.”
The threat marks a sharp escalation against Oman, a longstanding US partner that has traditionally played the role of mediator in regional disputes. Muscat has been involved in efforts to facilitate dialogue between Washington and Tehran while also working with Iran on the Hormuz issue.
Hormuz becomes the new flashpoint
The Strait of Hormuz has emerged as one of the biggest pressure points in the US-Iran conflict. The narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman is a crucial route for global energy shipments, making its continued disruption a major concern for international markets.
Iran has been working with Oman on a possible arrangement concerning shipping through the strait. Tehran has maintained that the waterway will not fully reopen until Washington changes its approach and addresses Iranian demands.
Trump, however, has shown little willingness to back down. The US president has repeatedly insisted that Iran cannot be allowed to control or weaponise access to the strategic waterway.
Trump says Iran must ‘put up the white flag’
Trump also hardened his rhetoric towards Tehran, saying Iran should “put up the white flag of surrender” and claiming that the US was maintaining a backchannel with officials of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
He said Washington was not operating under a fixed timetable to end the conflict and dismissed concerns over the amount of US ammunition used so far, describing it as “peanuts”.
At the same time, Trump reiterated that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon remains his “number one Goal”.
Iran warns of wider escalation
Iran has signalled that the confrontation could become even more dangerous if diplomatic efforts collapse.
A senior Iranian official warned that Tehran could shift from a defensive posture to a more offensive approach in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider region if diplomacy fails. Iranian officials have also rejected the idea that Tehran can be forced into an agreement through deadlines or military pressure.
Oman’s position makes the latest threat particularly significant. The country has long maintained defence ties with Washington while also preserving channels of communication with Tehran, making it an important intermediary in Middle East diplomacy.
Trump’s warning therefore puts a key US partner directly in the crossfire of the escalating struggle over the Strait of Hormuz — potentially turning a diplomatic dispute over one of the world’s most important waterways into an even wider regional confrontation.
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