Trump will be briefed on military options for unblocking the Strait of Hormuz. The US could use an experimental hypersonic weapon
US President Donald Trump could authorize the sending of ground troops to Iran, as part of military plans aimed at solving the crisis related to the Strait of Hormuz, in the context of the deadlock in the negotiations, Axios reported, citing sources. The decision is expected to be discussed in a high-level meeting with US military leaders, a signal that the US is preparing to resume military operations to put further pressure on Iran.
CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper is expected to outline a range of military options, including a high-risk scenario that calls for sending troops into Iranian territory. The objective would be to force the regime in Tehran to abandon the blockade on one of the most important maritime routes for the transport of oil, while the capture of Iranian nuclear material also remains on the table.
Trump could approve a new round of airstrikes described as “short and powerful” aimed at pressuring Iran to end the conflict and force it to give in on its nuclear program. The joint US-Israeli military campaign began on February 28 and was suspended after the April 8 ceasefire, but rounds of negotiations so far have failed to reach an agreement and have reached a deadlock after the US delegation stopped traveling to Islamabad.
In this context, the Pentagon is reportedly considering the first use of a state-of-the-art hypersonic weapon: the long-range missile known as the “Dark Eagle,” The Sun reports, citing a Bloomberg report.
It has a range of about 2,700 kilometers and can reach speeds of up to Mach 5, capable of hitting heavily defended targets or missile launchers hidden underground. The cost of such a missile is estimated at around £11m, and the US currently has fewer than eight units. The complete system would cost around £2 billion. If used, it would be the first operational deployment of a hypersonic weapon that has not been declared fully operational.
Dark Eagle PHOTO US Army
Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, said “the only place for the Americans in the Persian Gulf is at the bottom of the waters,” reaffirming Iran's commitment to protecting its nuclear and ballistic capabilities.
The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has generated turbulence in global markets and significant increases in oil prices. In this context, Trump harshly criticized the Iranian leadership, stating that it should come together, as it does not seem to “know how to sign a non-nuclear agreement” and warned that the situation must be resolved quickly.
The US leader previously wrote that Iran had conveyed through diplomatic channels that it was in a “state of collapse” and that it would be willing to reopen the strait, but only in exchange for the lifting of sanctions and for the US to limit its claims regarding the abandonment of the nuclear program.
