Why Trump Is Threatening to Bomb Oman Over Strait of Hormuz Access
United States President Donald Trump threatened to use military force against Oman during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, warning that the nation must comply with U.S. expectations regarding the Strait of Hormuz. The threat follows reports of potential cooperation between Muscat and Tehran over the management of the strategic waterway.
### Threats of Military Action
During the cabinet meeting, President Trump addressed the status of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime passage for global oil shipments. “Nobody is going to control it,” Trump said, according to an Al Jazeera report. “It’s international waters, and Oman will behave just like everybody else, or we will have to blow them up.”
While the U.S. Department of State later published a transcript confirming the comments, the administration has dismissed related reports of a memorandum of understanding between Iran and Oman as a “complete fabrication.” Analysts suggest the rhetoric is intended to discourage regional partners from granting legitimacy to Iran’s attempts to assert control over the strait. Muhanad Seloom, a non-resident senior fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, stated that the threat serves as a signal to the Gulf region to deny Iran “administrative and legal” cover for its maritime activities.
### Control of the Strait of Hormuz
The tension centers on the legal status of the waterway, which handles over 20 percent of global oil traffic. Following joint U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iranian infrastructure on February 28, Iran moved to close the strait and began imposing transit fees on commercial vessels, describing the charges as “fees for services.”
Under international maritime law, natural straits are considered international shipping lanes, and states are generally prohibited from charging tolls for transit. While Iran and Oman hold territorial waters within the region, international law distinguishes between providing port services and restricting passage. Iran’s state media had previously suggested that a joint arrangement with Oman could formalize these fees, a prospect the Trump administration has explicitly rejected.
### Regional and Legal Implications
The threat against Oman, a country that has maintained diplomatic relations with the United States for over two centuries, has drawn criticism from international observers. Raed Jarrar, advocacy director for the human rights group DAWN, described the president’s rhetoric as “lawless,” noting that the United Nations Charter prohibits the threat of force against sovereign states.
Tehran has responded to the comments by signaling support for Muscat. On Thursday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei expressed solidarity with Oman, characterizing the U.S. remarks as a threat against a sovereign partner. Oman has not issued a public response or indicated any formal intention to enter into an agreement with Iran regarding the strait’s management. As of late Thursday, the U.S. administration maintains its position that the strait must remain open, while diplomatic channels regarding the potential memorandum remain at a standstill.