Trump Warns Iran of Severe Military Response as Tehran Intensifies Maritime Attacks

During a campaign rally in Wasilla, Alaska, on Tuesday, President Donald Trump warned that the United States would take further military action against Iran, while stumping for Republican Senator Dan Sullivan.

“Wait and see what we will do to Iran. We are going to strike them hard. Wait and see,” Trump declared, adding, “We have had enough.”

These comments followed a series of fluctuating statements from the White House regarding its next steps toward Tehran. Trump first suggested on Wednesday that no additional strikes would be launched before the November midterm elections, but indicated the next day that he could “finish it off” if Iran did not agree to a deal during an October 9 rally in New York.

At the rally, Trump asserted that Iran’s nuclear sites were concealed under “thousands of tons of rock” and said Tehran was only two weeks away from building a nuclear weapon, blaming former President Barack Obama for not halting the program.

“They were the bullies of the Middle East, but they are no longer,” Trump said, adding, “It will end very soon.”

Trump’s renewed threats coincide with Tehran’s reported effort to increase pressure on Washington by targeting maritime traffic and disrupting global energy markets ahead of the U.S. midterm elections.

Iran is employing new tactics to target vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, aiming to keep oil prices elevated and sway the U.S. midterm elections, according to two senior Iranian officials speaking to Reuters.

Iran Uses Strait of Hormuz Shipping to Pressure US Ahead of Midterms

Tehran has sought to control the Strait of Hormuz since the United States and Israel conducted strikes against Iran on February 28. It has limited passage through the waterway — responsible for roughly one‑fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade prior to the conflict — to exert leverage over Washington.

Its threats and attacks have sharply reduced traffic through the strait, pushing oil prices higher, although some oil shipments have continued.

The officials declined to disclose details of the new strategy, but one noted that Iran began employing different offensive tactics against vessels it deemed to violate its restrictions about ten days ago, resulting in additional attacks on those ships.

Iran Alters Attack Tactics to Maintain Elevated Global Oil Prices

The strategy entailed both a shift in the types of attacks and an adjustment in their frequency, with the objective of influencing the outcome of the U.S. election, they said.

“The aim is to thwart U.S. and allied efforts to lower global oil prices,” one of the officials said.

The decision to adopt the new strategy was made at the highest levels of Iran’s leadership and fully coordinated across the nation’s governing system, the officials said.

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