US President Donald Trump has warned of further action against Iran, saying Washington will decide its next move “very soon” as Tehran steps up attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Mr Trump, speaking outside the White House late on Tuesday, described Iran as a “failed country” and said its economy was collapsing under severe inflation and financial pressure.
“They have no economy … they have no money,” Mr Trump said. “We’ll make a decision on Iran very soon.”
The US President later struck a more threatening tone at a campaign event in Alaska, warning of further action against Tehran.
“Wait till you see what we do to Iran. We’re going to do a number … wait till you see what we do to Iran, because we’ve sort of had it,” he said. “The big thing is, they’re not going to have a nuclear weapon. That’s buried under thousands of tonnes of rock.”
The remarks came after Reuters reported two Iranian officials said Tehran was using new tactics to target ships sailing through the Strait of Hormuz. The officials declined to provide details but one said Iran had started using different offensive tactics about 10 days ago, leading to an increase in attacks on such ships.
At least 12 vessels have been attacked in and around the Strait of Hormuz in the past week, the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency has said. Six were struck on Sunday alone – five tankers and a container ship. Five incidents occurred in the strait and one near Oman’s Sohar anchorage.
“The aim is to frustrate efforts by the United States and its allies to bring down global oil prices,” one was quoted as saying. A second official said Tehran would prevent Washington from lowering oil prices ahead of the US midterm elections on November 3.
Back-channel diplomacy
The US military rejected a claim by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that it is in control of the Strait of Hormuz, saying it does not possess an actual naval force.
“US forces and their regional partners clearly control the Strait of Hormuz. Just yesterday, US forces assisted their Gulf partners in shipping more than 19 million barrels of crude oil through the strait,” said Central Command, which oversees US military operations across the Middle East.
Officials in Tehran have rejected Washington’s latest response to its proposal to end the conflict, which began with US and Israeli strikes across Iran on February 28.
Mohsen Rezaei, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, described the US response as “insufficient” and warned of possible attacks on regional digital infrastructure if hostilities resumed.
🚫 CLAIM: The navy commander for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed today that the Strait of Hormuz is under IRGC control and any approaching U.S. Navy warships would be "sunk."
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) October 13, 2026
✅ FACT: IRGC's navy commander has no navy. American forces and regional partners… pic.twitter.com/n9dhNsyI8O
Washington has maintained a naval blockade of Iranian ports and expanded sanctions, while seeking an agreement. The Pentagon has also directed US Central Command to complete preparations for possible major combat operations, Axios reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Mr Trump said last week the US would not attack Iran before the midterm elections, citing progress in negotiations.
Israel is also considering its options. Mr Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have discussed the possibility of renewed military operations against Iran, Axios reported, as the Israeli leader prepared for a general election on October 27.
Qatari mediators are awaiting Tehran’s response to a US counterproposal.