Μake us preferred on Google President Donald Trump made a sharply worded statement, warning that the United States would flatten Oman if the Middle Eastern country tried to obstruct American actions.
He made the remarks in an interview with Fox News’ Trey Yingst on Monday, August 17, as the ceasefire between the US and Iran nears its expiration.
As Trump put it, “If Oman gets in our way, we’ll bomb it mercilessly.”
Iran, meanwhile, announced last week that it’s in talks with Oman over reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route for global oil and gas trade.
Trump also brushed off concerns over depleted US weapons stockpiles, saying, “We have huge stockpiles of weapons. What we’ve used is a drop in the bucket. We have plenty of medium-range weapons.”
Some estimates, however, suggest that by early August the US had used up more than half its stock of certain weapons systems during the war with Iran. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) found that the US has enough missiles to keep fighting Iran under any realistic scenario, though the think tank noted the real concern from the depleted stockpiles lies with future conflicts.
Trump also confirmed his administration has set up a direct back-channel with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). He added that he’s in no rush to end the standoff: “They’re good poker players, but they’re dying. I haven’t set any timeline. I’m not in a hurry.”
