Even for Donald Trump, the speed of the U-turn was startling. On Monday morning, the US president announced on social media that all vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz would have to pay a 20% fee to reimburse America for providing security. By Tuesday, he had abandoned that proposal entirely, instead offering “trade and investment deals” with Gulf allies in return for safe passage.
The about-face came as American forces carried out a third night of attacks on Iranian targets. The US military said a new wave of strikes began at 6 a.m. ET on Wednesday, designed to “further degrade military capabilities Iranian forces have used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz”. Iran countered by launching airstrikes targeting US bases in Bahrain and Kuwait, grinding traffic through the strait to a near standstill.
“Trump abandoned his 20% Hormuz toll within 24 hours as US strikes on Iran intensified and Senate Democrats blocked defence bill.”
Trump had earlier threatened Iran with strikes against bridges and power plants, telling Fox News: “Next week comes the bridges. We're going to knock out all their power plants … unless they get to the table and negotiate.” He added that “other people” would handle any ground campaign.
The conflict, now in its fourth month, shows no sign of ending despite a month-old “memorandum of understanding” that briefly secured a ceasefire. Rosemary Kelanic, director of the Middle East program at Defense Priorities, said: “This has turned into a war of attrition, and wars of attrition tend to go on for a long, long period of time.”
In Washington, Senate Democrats derailed the $1.15 trillion National Defense Authorization Act, with a procedural vote failing 50-46. Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said: “Trump started this war without authorization, without a strategy, and without an exit.” All Democrats opposed the bill; every Republican voted yes except majority leader John Thune, who voted no for procedural reasons.
Meanwhile, a British couple detained in Iran have had their sentences extended. Craig and Lindsay Foreman, both 53, were arrested 18 months ago on a world motorbike tour and later sentenced to ten years on espionage charges, which they deny. Their family said that speaking to the press about their incarceration has added two more years to Craig’s sentence. The couple have been on hunger strike for 68 and 59 days respectively in Tehran’s Evin prison.