American officials tell i24NEWS that the current US military campaign is focused on neutralizing Iranian threats to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, striking coastal military positions. They say President Trump has adopted a 'negotiation under fire' approach, warning the scope could still expand.
US officials confirmed to i24NEWS on Wednesday evening that the current wave of American airstrikes is primarily aimed at securing freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes are hitting 'extensive military positions' along Iran's Persian Gulf coastline to strip Tehran of its ability to threaten commercial and military shipping in the strategic chokepoint.
The officials said President Trump had tried to achieve this goal through diplomacy, but has now shifted to military means under a strategy described as 'negotiation under fire' (מו״מ תחת אש). They emphasized that the strikes are not necessarily limited to the current targets along the Gulf coast, cautioning that the scope may widen.
The briefing follows a sustained US campaign of kinetic pressure on Iran since the downing of a US Apache helicopter, which Trump has characterized as a 'very strong, very powerful' response. As The Zioneer has reported, Trump has threatened escalating daily strikes and issued ultimatums for a diplomatic resolution, while Iran has retaliated with missile barrages against US bases across the region.
It remains unclear whether the current operational focus on coastal targets will expand to include infrastructure deeper inside Iran, as Trump has previously threatened.
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