Oman becomes the "middle layer"! Trump threatens military strike if Oman obstructs U.S.-Iran conflict

According to reports, the APP of Zhihong Finance has learned that US President Donald Trump issued a stern warning during a telephone interview, stating that if Oman obstructs the US military's blockade of Iranian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the US will take military action against Oman.

Trump bluntly stated in the interview: "If Oman gets in the way, we'll blow them to smithereens." He also noted that the current maritime blockade is effectively pressuring Iran, and said he has not set a timetable for resolving the conflict, emphasizing that he is "not in a hurry."

The ongoing US-Iran military conflict has shown no signs of a clear end after nearly six months. Negotiations between the US and Iran intended to achieve lasting peace have reached an impasse, and intermittent firefights have severely disrupted the normal transportation of oil and other key commodities through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy passage. The continued conflict has pushed up oil and gas prices, adding extra political pressure to Trump's Republican Party ahead of the mid-term elections in November.

Oman is playing a subtle yet crucial role in this conflict. As a Gulf country that has long adhered to a "fair mediation" foreign policy, Oman assisted Gulf countries in reopening their airspace at the onset of the conflict, provided navigation services (including for US vessels) for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, and has hosted two rounds of US-Iran nuclear negotiations.

Trump had previously warned Oman to "follow the rules, or else we'll have to blow you up." Moreover, Oman's neutral stance is increasingly facing pressure from Washington. Trump's latest "collateral deterrence" toward Oman reflects the US effort to maintain the blockade's intensity while preventing third-party countries from becoming supply routes for Iran.

According to the International Maritime Organization, as of August 11, there have been about 65 confirmed vessel-related incidents in the Strait of Hormuz and the broader Middle East during the conflict, resulting in 17 deaths among seafarers. Recent attacks have continued.

The Strait of Hormuz is a passageway for roughly one-third of global crude oil shipments, and any blockade or military escalation directly threatens the stability of energy supply chains. Ongoing geopolitical risk premiums have kept oil and gas prices elevated; if the conflict further expands to neighboring countries such as Oman, the energy market may face more severe supply shocks. This could intensify inflationary pressures and put the Trump administration—which is already confronting economic headwinds—at a greater disadvantage ahead of the upcoming election.