President Donald Trump's administration has escalated military actions against Iran, employing a strategy that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich compared to Abraham Lincoln's Civil War-era 'Anaconda' plan. The approach aims to increase pressure on Iran without deploying ground troops, a move Trump stated is designed to avoid a large-scale land war.
"We are going to respond week by week. We’re going to grind them down," Gingrich said on Fox Business, explaining the strategy. He noted that while the approach might appear slow to some, it is a steady method to coerce Iran into a weaker position. The comparison to Lincoln's strategy, which aimed to gradually surround and crush the rebellion, highlights the current administration's focus on a sustained, high-cost campaign against Iranian capabilities.
The U.S. announced a new round of strikes on Iran on Monday, marking the third consecutive day of American strikes and the fifth in the past week. These actions follow President Trump's declaration that the United States is "reinstating" a blockade on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. "We're taking out all of their capability for anything having to do with the strait, the Hormuz Strait," Trump told CBS News. "And I think in the end we will end up just controlling the whole thing."
Trump defended the ongoing military engagement, which he described as a four-month operation, stating that the U.S. has "knocked out" Iranian missile sites. He argued that without these strikes, Iran would have acquired nuclear weapons, endangering Israel and the wider Middle East. Trump also criticized Iran for prolonging negotiations for "47 years" and asserted that his administration would no longer be subject to such delays, differentiating his negotiation tactics from those of previous administrations.
The president also suggested that allied nations should contribute financially to the U.S. effort in protecting the Strait of Hormuz, stating, "I want to be reimbursed because we're protecting a very rich portion of the world."
Following the U.S. strikes on Monday, Iran reportedly attacked Bahrain and two tankers associated with the United Arab Emirates in the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in one fatality and eight injuries. The United Arab Emirates has threatened retaliation, potentially re-engaging in conflict with Tehran. The attacks occurred as both the U.S. and Iran seek control over the strait, a critical chokepoint for global oil and natural gas transportation.
U.S. Central Command stated that the strikes were initiated at the "Commander in Chief's direction" to "continue imposing a heavy cost on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz." Iran, however, has maintained its control over the waterway, leading to an exchange of fire that has escalated tensions.
Prior to these events, the U.S. had asserted that the strait should remain open to all traffic without tolls. The current conflict intensified after Iran struck three vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting U.S. retaliatory strikes. Trump subsequently declared a previous truce dead, stating, "There's something wrong with them. They're cuckoo. As far as I'm concerned, it's over."
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared the strait closed "until further notice" after the attack. Iran also claimed responsibility for striking U.S. facilities at Jordan's Prince Hassan Air Base, alleging the destruction of a command center and drone hangars, a claim denied by Washington. Jordan reported shooting down four missiles, with three causing minor damage.
Trump announced on Truth Social that the U.S. would henceforth be known as "The Guardian of the Hormuz Strait," indicating an immediate commencement of the new formation. However, maritime law requires a 24-hour notice for such blockades. The conflict has already impacted oil prices, with Brent crude rising significantly, threatening broader economic disruption.
In a related development, Saudi Arabia launched strikes against Iran's Houthi proxy group in Yemen, opening a new front in the regional conflict. This action followed Iran's strikes against five U.S. allies.
The U.S. strikes have targeted Iranian missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, ammunition storage, communication networks, and coastal surveillance locations, according to U.S. Central Command. The stated objective is to degrade Iran's capacity to attack civilian and commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.