US mulling limited air campaign against Iran to stop Hormuz attacks

President Trump weighs limited strikes on Iran as US seeks to prevent renewed threat to Hormuz shipping.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

President Donald Trump is considering a new series of limited military strikes against Iran aimed at preventing Tehran from rebuilding weapons and surveillance capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz, as renewed fighting between the two countries threatens to widen after a month-long lull.

The proposal was developed by US Central Command over the past week, according to a report by Axios, and has the support of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to three US officials familiar with the discussions.

The plan would allow American forces to periodically attack Iranian radar systems, air defenses and anti-ship missile capabilities that could threaten oil tankers and US military forces operating around the strategically vital waterway.

One US official described the approach as an effort to “mow the lawn” — carrying out limited strikes when necessary to prevent Iran from rebuilding enough military capacity to again pose a significant threat to ships passing through the strait.

The proposal had not been approved by Trump before the latest exchange of fire over the weekend, and the White House had previously been leaning against additional strikes out of concern they could trigger another major escalation.

Iran’s missile attacks against US forces in Jordan following an American strike on Larak Island, however, could change that calculation.

“The Iranians want to make a deal, but they are always a day late and a dollar short,” the White House said in response to questions about the proposal, while stressing that Trump retained military options.

CENTCOM’s concern has focused on signs that Iran is attempting to restore capabilities damaged during previous US operations in and around the Strait of Hormuz.

In one recent incident, an Iranian anti-aircraft missile was launched toward a US F-35 fighter providing protection for ships moving through the strait, according to a US official.

The missile did not come close enough to threaten the aircraft, but American officials viewed the launch as evidence that Tehran was rebuilding its ability to challenge US forces in the area.

CENTCOM subsequently advised Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine and the White House that repeated limited strikes might be necessary to prevent Iran from reconstructing those capabilities while the US continues attempting to move dozens of oil tankers through the Gulf each day.

Hegseth reportedly endorsed the proposal and forwarded it to the White House several days ago.

The deliberations took on new urgency Sunday after US forces struck two Iranian launchers on Larak Island, located inside the Strait of Hormuz.

American officials said Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps personnel had been observed preparing launchers carrying rockets equipped with sea mines that could have been used against shipping.

Iranian media reported that three people were killed in the attack, including two members of the Revolutionary Guards Navy.

Tehran retaliated by firing ballistic missiles toward US military facilities in Jordan, marking the first direct exchange of fire between Iran and the United States since late July.

Trump responded Monday by promising retaliation.

“We’re going to hit them hard,” Trump said.

Speaking separately to reporters, Trump suggested that the latest confrontation did not necessarily mean the United States was returning to the large-scale bombing campaign seen earlier in the war.

“That doesn’t mean we won’t smack them. We’ll see what happens,” Trump said. He also ruled out any immediate need for nuclear weapons, saying Iran was already “totally defeated militarily.”

An Iranian source characterized the weekend fighting as a “limited and contained confrontation,” but warned that Tehran would respond more forcefully if the United States attacks again.

The potential US strategy reflects the growing importance of the Strait of Hormuz to Washington’s objectives in the six-month war.

American forces have spent the past two months degrading Iranian military positions near the strait, clearing mines and helping guide commercial vessels through the waterway.

Those operations have weakened Iran’s ability to attack tankers but have not restored shipping to anything approaching prewar levels.

Only five visible commodity vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, compared with a 10-day average of about 14, according to shipping data.

None of the five were liquid tankers. Before the war began in late February, roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supplies passed through the strait.

The renewed fighting has already pushed energy prices higher.

Brent crude rose another 1.2% Tuesday morning to $91.54 per barrel after gaining 2.7% in the previous session, while West Texas Intermediate climbed 1.5% to $87.03.

The administration has increasingly emphasized economic pressure rather than a return to sustained bombing, expanding secondary sanctions against countries and companies doing business with Tehran.

IranIran warStrait of Hormuz