JUST IN: Trump Lays Out Aims For Winding Down Iran Operation
In a lengthy Truth Social post on Friday, President Donald Trump laid out the U.S. objectives for winding down the conflict with Iran and re-opening the vital Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint responsible for handling 20 percent of global oil exports and large quantities of other valuable commodities.
“We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East with respect to the Terrorist Regime of Iran,” the president wrote. He went on to list a number of objectives for the operation, many of which have already been achieved, according to the Pentagon.
This includes degrading the regime’s missile capabilities, industrial base, and “eliminating their Navy and Air Force, including Anti Aircraft Weaponry,” Trump explained. He also stated that Iran’s nuclear program must be completely dismantled and “always being in a position where the U.S.A. can quickly and powerfully react to such a situation, should it take place.”
War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have repeatedly stated that the regime’s nuclear capabilities have been obliterated.
In addition, Trump demanded that U.S. allies in the Middle East will need to be protected. He then addressed the de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which has wreaked havoc on global oil markets.
“The Hormuz Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by other Nations who use it — The United States does not! If asked, we will help these Countries in their Hormuz efforts, but it shouldn’t be necessary once Iran’s threat is eradicated,” he continued. “Importantly, it will be an easy Military Operation for them.”
Trump says the US is “close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great military efforts in the Middle East.” pic.twitter.com/9HPROqVEhb
— OSZ (@OpenSourceZone) March 20, 2026
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, located between the coasts of Iran and Oman. At its narrowest point, the shipping channels are just two miles wide in each direction, making it one of the world’s most strategically important maritime passages.
Roughly 20 million barrels per day of crude oil and petroleum products flowed through it in 2025—accounting for about 20% of global petroleum liquids consumption and 25 percent of all seaborne oil trade. In addition, nearly 20 percent of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade transits the strait, primarily from Qatar.
The vast majority of these flows head to Asia, especially China, India, Japan, and South Korea.
Since the conflict erupted on February 28, Iran has launched multiple attacks on U.S. and allied oil tankers in the Middle East. Despite exceptions made for allies like China, traffic in the strait has declined by upwards of 90 percent over the last few weeks.
Trump has repeatedly urged regional and European partners to get involved with the conflict to secure the vital shipping route, though such an operation would be risky, as Iran has long planned for such a scenario by using asymmetric warfare. Despite significant losses to naval and air power, Iran maintains thousands of speed boats, shore-based anti-ship missiles, naval mines and low cost Shahed drones.
Clearing the area requires extensive minesweeping, air cover, and escorts. In short, Iran can keep the Strait of Hormuz closed, or heavily disrupted, without a conventional navy or Air Force.
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