Axios Report: US has ‘no immediate plans’ for new strikes on Iran

According to Axios, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has informed several foreign counterparts that Washington does not plan to launch further strikes against Iran for the time being, citing two sources familiar with the discussions. The Trump administration intends to intensify economic pressure on Tehran through new sanctions and a naval blockade targeting Iranian exports. US officials claim that mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz and the increasing number of oil tankers passing through the waterway have sharply reduced Tehran’s ability to disrupt global energy markets. One official stated, 'The Iranians have lost control of the strait. The United States now controls it.' Washington also believes the blockade is significantly reducing Iran’s oil revenue, noting that almost no tankers have been observed near Kharg Island—Iran’s main crude-oil export terminal—over the past two weeks. This shift in strategy does not mean military action has been ruled out. Rubio reportedly told his counterparts that the United States could retaliate if Iran carried out another attack. One US official suggested the current approach could remain in place at least until the midterm elections, after which the administration might consider a new military campaign. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has also stated that Washington has not ruled out further strikes in or around the Strait of Hormuz or elsewhere near Iran.