Trump threatens military action against Oman over Strait of Hormuz talks
US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Oman if it obstructed his effort to end the Iran war, escalating rhetoric involving a longstanding Gulf partner and a crucial oil-shipping route.
In short
- US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Oman if it obstructed his effort to end the Iran war, escalating rhetoric involving a longstanding Gulf partner and a crucial oil-shipping route.
US President Donald Trump threatened military action against Oman on Monday, August 17, 2026, if the Gulf state obstructed his effort to end the US-Israel war with Iran.
“If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them,” Trump told Fox News, according to The Guardian. The report said Trump had made a similar threat in May and on August 14 suggested declaring the Strait of Hormuz United States territory.
Oman and Iran have been discussing control of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway between their coasts. Roughly one-fifth of global seaborne oil supplies normally pass through the route, but shipping has been sharply disrupted since the United States and Israel began the war with Iran in February 2026.
Oman is a longstanding US diplomatic and military partner and has previously acted as an intermediary between Washington and Tehran. The reported threat therefore raises questions about relations with an ally as well as the security of a route central to global energy markets.
No military action against Oman was reported in the source item. The statement was reported as a threat made while negotiations over the war and the strait remained unresolved.
