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Trump's Iran U-turn & how US Marines could reopen the Strait of Hormuz

The Telegraph

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Could US Marines seize Kharg Island and reopen the Strait of Hormuz?

President Donald Trump has U-turned on his threat to bomb Iranian energy infrastructure after announcing a five-day moratorium and peace talks underway. But the Strait of Hormuz problem remains.

Iraq veteran, Ohio State University military historian and former US Colonel Peter Mansoor joins Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant to discuss the hard power options open to Trump, from taking an island in the waterway to invading the mainland coastline.

He also talks about the option of conducting special raids to seize enriched uranium to hobble Iran’s nuclear programme and explains why the war risks becoming a quagmire for the West akin to what he saw first-hand in Iraq.

Plus, The Telegraph’s acting defence editor Tom Cotterill explains what we know about the hugely significant Iranian ICBM attack on Britain’s Diego Garcia base and how worried the UK and Europe should be of repeat incidents.

CONTRIBUTORS:

Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiarainey
Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant
Tom Cotterill, acting Defence Editor @TomCotterillX
Peter Mansoor, chair military history Ohio State University

CONTENT REFERENCED:

Telegraph View: Britain must do what it can to open the Strait of Hormuz
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026...

Britain ‘defenceless against Iranian missiles’
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026...

Producer: Peter Shevlin
Executive Producer: Louisa Wells

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20 Comments

@tawektawek3838 6 months ago

Peter Mansoor was great. Knowledgeable, sincere and frank, and without a shred of ego or hyperbole. I wish the US had someone like him as Secretary of Defense.

@CrabbyE8 6 months ago (edited)

How is being based all around the ME any different than adding a base of operations on the Iranian side of the Strait? The way to stop being “forever based” in the ME is to neuter the threat

@JN-om6rw 6 months ago

Open or closed will make no difference if the ships won't pass

@FRM101 6 months ago

excellent discussion

@deeestuary 6 months ago

Madness.

@Fanalytics 6 months ago

I've heard that local residents are leaking targeting data about the locations of key people and posts inside Iran. That seems like a better approach, if true, than just b..mbing.

@barrielomas9056 6 months ago

Estimate cost to replenish the missile magazine of ships in this action is $58 Billion load of one USN dry cargo ship ( of which there are roughly 11) and the time lapse replenish one ships cargo is in many years

@jacquesclouseau9293 6 months ago

Refreshing to hear James O'brien talk sense

@bobmartin770 6 months ago

90% of the Iranian people are against the IRGC and are preparing to over throw them. They call themselves the immortal guard and are awaiting the call from the crown prince Reza Pahlavi when the IRGC has been neutralised.

@S.Kapfo57 6 months ago

It's still early days to have a definite say on your assessment of the war. Iran definitely has its back against the wall.

@phil20_20 6 months ago

It's not an intercontinental missile if it can't even reach Diego Garcia.

@joojo29 6 months ago

The strait is not closed. Those who have negotiated have seen their tankers through

@Hand-j1t 6 months ago

Till firday when the marines get their

@BertoniBertone 6 months ago

Can someone please tell Venetia to speak more slowly like Roland. She actually has the same speech cadence as a French person. Weird…and practically unlistenable to.

@jeremyrawlins9009 6 months ago

Never give up your assets. For example: THE SUEZ CANAL in 1956 or THE SINIA PENINSULA in 1990s or GAZA in 2006.

@Kyla_Maye 6 months ago

Only five days? Not the traditional "two weeks" for everyone to forget everything? He must be getting old.

@donalddesrosiersdsd5381 6 months ago

Should take some of the islands there close make it a permanent us militay base.

@UHURU-001 6 months ago

1:30 That missile was fired in the general direction of Diego Garcia and splashed down in the Indian Ocean hundreds of miles off-target. It’s flight marks the maximum range of Iran’s missiles, but does not reflect any degree of accuracy, however, many of their other missiles that have struck targets in Israel and the Gulf States do demosntrate precise accuracy at these shorter ranges.

@sandygraham3267 6 months ago

Concern for the final state of Iran pales in comparison to the prospect of Iran having nuclear weapons or conventional payloads and an ability to deliver them to Israel, Arab states and the West. It matters little if Iran is permitted to have these capabilities now or in future. It simply can’t be allowed to happen. NOW presents the best chance of doing the most damage with the least loss to the US and Western allies.
There are no easy answers here. A campaign against Iran is essential. People will lose money and pay more, but the alternative is untenable.