WSJ: Trump was warned Iran might shut Hormuz before launching war

Before the US entered the war with Iran, Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned Donald Trump that an American attack could trigger a major escalation, including the possible closure of the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.

Caine told the president in several briefings that US officials had long believed Iran could attempt to block the strategic waterway by deploying naval mines, drones and missiles. The Strait of Hormuz is widely regarded as the world’s most vital oil shipping route.

People familiar with the discussions said Trump acknowledged the risks but decided to move forward with what has become the most consequential foreign-policy decision of his two presidencies. The president reportedly told advisers he believed Tehran would likely capitulate before attempting to close the strait. He also expressed confidence that even if Iran tried to block the waterway, the US military would be capable of reopening it.

The White House said Trump was fully aware of the risks involved in launching the war but was determined to eliminate what his administration described as a national security threat posed by Iran.

Before approving the operation, Trump and his advisers discussed possible responses if Iran attempted to close the strait. According to people familiar with the talks, those options included forcing the reopening of the waterway and deploying the United States Navy to escort oil tankers through the passage.

With the strait now nearly closed, the United States Department of Defense is concerned that any American warships escorting commercial vessels could become targets unless the US first destroys Iranian naval assets and coastal defense systems, including drones and missile platforms.

The potential closure of the strait was only one of several scenarios presented to Trump before the war. According to people with knowledge of the briefings, Caine also expressed confidence that US forces could significantly weaken Iran’s navy and missile arsenal and further reduce Tehran’s ability to build and deploy a nuclear weapon.

Caine’s spokesman, Joe Holstead, said the general provided the president with “a full spectrum of military options, along with precise and thoughtful consideration of the secondary effects, implications and risks associated with each option.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Pentagon had been preparing for the possibility that Iran might attempt to close the Strait of Hormuz for decades. She added that such a scenario had been part of the administration’s planning long before the launch of Operation Epic Fury.

According to Leavitt, the US operation aimed at destroying Iran’s military capabilities “is quite literally intended to deprive them of their ability to close the Strait.”

Despite calls from some outside advisers for Trump to look for an “exit ramp” from the conflict, aides and officials said the president has no immediate plans to end the war. Instead, he is pushing to continue military strikes against Iranian forces and their regional proxies.

US military officials say the conflict is likely to continue for at least several more weeks.

By Tamilla Hasanova