US President Donald Trump on Wednesday stirred fresh controversy after suggesting that Washington could “finish off” what he described as the “Iranian terror state,” while pressing nations dependent on the Strait of Hormuz to assume responsibility for securing the vital shipping route.
In posts on Truth Social, Trump criticised allies for being “non-responsive” amid escalating conflict in West Asia. His remarks come weeks after the United States and Israel launched a joint military offensive against Iran on February 28, reportedly killing about 1,300 people, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Tehran has since retaliated with drone and missile strikes aimed at Israel and US-linked targets across Jordan, Iraq and Gulf nations, causing casualties, infrastructure damage and turbulence in global energy and aviation markets.
Iran has also effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz since March 1, disrupting a crucial oil transit corridor. Trump urged allies, including China, to intervene and help reopen the waterway.
In another post, he labelled Iran the world’s “number one state sponsor of terror,” asserting that the US was “rapidly putting them out of business,” signalling a hardline stance amid fears of a broader regional conflict.
