If the war ends with it in control of the critical waterway, it will chalk up a strategic victory. Manuel Balce Ceneta/APAmid fresh signs Trump wants the war over, officials seem to be shaping rhetorical cover for him to end it without fixing the aftermath. Ending the war with Iran controlling the strait would be seen internationally as a strategic defeat for the United States. More broadly, the fallout of the Iran war now threatens another consequence: an even deeper fracture in the transatlantic alliance. So the world ought pay attention and be prepared to stand up,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday.

Source: Egypt Independent April 01, 2026 12:27 UTC