President Donald Trump did not rule out the possibility of a limited ground campaign in Iran, following recent U.S. strikes near Iran’s Kharg Island.
When asked directly about the same during a Tuesday interview with Fox News, Trump said, “No. Sometimes you need a ground campaign.” He highlighted that while the U.S. forces are capable of carrying out the campaign, there are “other people who would do the campaign for us.”
The President revealed that U.S. forces had already targeted Kharg Island multiple times, intentionally sparing oil facilities due to their global economic significance. He stated, “I said hit everything but the oil.”
Trump underscored the role of military strength in negotiations with Iran, saying, “The only way you can negotiate with these people is strength, and the only strength is military strength.”
He further stated that the military strikes against Iran would persist until he deemed it “enough.” He accused Iran of being dishonest about its nuclear plans and warned that the U.S. could target Iran’s power plants and bridges in the following week if Tehran does not agree to talks with Washington.
Trump Drops Hormuz Fee Proposal
This development follows Trump’s decision to abandon the idea of imposing a 20% fee on all vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz. Instead, he suggested that Gulf state allies like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE could make “record” investments in the U.S. as an alternative.
Trump opposed charging fees for passage through the Strait of Hormuz or any other major waterway, saying no country should impose such tolls. However, he clarified that the U.S. had discussed payments not as a transit fee, but as reimbursement for its efforts to secure the strategic shipping route.
Moreover, Trump had also threatened to attack Iran’s heavily fortified underground facility, Pickaxe Mountain, despite no apparent activity. This recent indication of a possible ground campaign in Iran could be seen as a continuation of Trump’s aggressive stance towards Iran.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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