Trump threatens to bomb Oman if it gets in way of Iran deal: report
President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Oman if it interferes with U.S. negotiations regarding the Strait of Hormuz. The President also asserted that the strait should be considered U.S. territory, despite ongoing tensions and Iranian control.
Why it matters
This represents a significant escalation in rhetoric regarding international maritime routes and U.S.-Iran relations during a period of active conflict.
President Donald Trump on Monday (August 17, 2026) threatened to bomb Oman if it "gets in the way" of a U.S. deal with Iran on the Strait of Hormuz and called for Iran to surrender.
"If Oman gets in the way, we'll bomb [expletive] them," Mr. Trump told Fox News journalist Trey Yingst, referring to ongoing talks between Oman and Iran on control of the strait, while Washington is also pursuing its own talks.
Iranian and Omani officials have been talking for weeks on future maritime navigation arrangements through the shipping route, and the Foreign Ministry in Tehran said earlier Monday (August 17, 2026) that the two sides were working on a joint declaration.
However, Mr. Trump has repeatedly insisted that the strait — which Tehran effectively closed at the start of the war in West Asia on February 28 — is under U.S. control, despite traffic remaining throttled.
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