Trump: The Campaign Against Iran Continues with Full Force

SadaNews - US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the military campaign being waged by the United States against Iran has continued "with full force" over the past few days, adding that Washington has bombed more than 7,000 targets across the Islamic Republic since the beginning of the war.

Trump made these comments before a luncheon at the Kennedy Center.

He reiterated on Monday his call for countries to assist in reopening maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, stating that "some countries have informed him that they are about to do so, while others have not shown the same enthusiasm for help."

He noted that he had a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, who agreed to help, expressing his anger at the British stance.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Monday that Britain "is taking the necessary measures to defend itself and its allies, but will not be drawn into a 'broader war' in the Middle East," emphasizing that any plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz "will not" be through a NATO mission.

Trump mentioned that his administration is in talks with 7 countries about helping to secure the Strait of Hormuz amid the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Earlier on Monday, the American news site Axios reported from US officials that the Trump administration is considering seizing Iranian oil on Karaj Island if the Strait of Hormuz does not reopen to navigation.

The officials noted that implementing this step would require US forces on the ground, while a White House official confirmed that Trump has not yet made a decision regarding it.

According to the site, some officials believe that controlling oil on Karaj Island could represent a severe economic blow to Iran as it is a major center for its oil exports.

This comes as the UK's Maritime Trade Operations, affiliated with the British Navy, stated that the danger remains in the Strait of Hormuz due to recent attacks, disruption of navigation, and ongoing operational disturbances, despite no reported incidents in the past three days.

The agency clarified that at least 20 ships have been attacked in the vicinity of the Arabian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Gulf of Oman since the war began on February 28.

The Strait of Hormuz is about 212 kilometers long, with a width ranging from 33 to 55 kilometers approximately, while its depth varies between 60 to 100 meters. This makes the safe passage for large vessels very narrow.