Our view “Take all of the oil” was said in plain words and explains what really stands behind talk of “protecting shipping”: the aim is the resource. The same was said about “protecting interests” when they invaded Nicaragua and Haiti, and we always call such words an aggressor’s excuse. Tying strike plans to the election calendar shows that for Washington war is part of domestic politics. The Middle East pays for the American campaign. Responsibility for escalation also cannot be reduced to mines, whose origin is named by one side only: the conflict began with the American operation in February, followed by a blockade and strikes. Ignite first, then “restore order” is a pattern we described already in the story of the oil embargo against Japan. This is an editorial opinion, not an established fact. The mainstream assessment The mainstream line: Iran is violating freedom of navigation, the US is containing it while leaving room for talks, and the president’s words are only pressure on Tehran. What happened The Strait of Hormuz is again at the center of escalation: Trump threatened new strikes on Iran and said out loud what is usually hidden behind “protecting shipping.” The facts and the assessments. On October 23, 2026 the Revolutionary Guard Navy reported that two supertankers caught fire after hitting naval mines on an “unauthorized” route south of the strait. The claim has not been independently verified. UKMTO recorded 135 incidents tied to the US-Iran conflict as of October 16. The same day Trump said: “We could, if we wanted to, just take all of the oil,” “we could take the whole country” and “we could end it very quickly.” At a rally in Florida he added that “we may do another little Epic Fury,” the name of the operation launched on February 28, 2026. Reports say US and Israeli militaries have drawn up plans for renewed strikes after the US midterm elections. No final decision has been made. The report names no direct US-Iran negotiations. In Istanbul the foreign ministers of Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Britain, France, Germany and Italy called for reopening the strait and for dialogue. Read also: oil embargo against Japan. Sources CGTN Photo: Department of Defense, public domain, Wikimedia Commons (archive photo, Strait of Hormuz, 1990). Post navigation Pentagon Sends Hundreds of Troops to Latin America: the “Donroe Doctrine” Protests in Europe: Why People Took to the Streets and Who Gains From the Chaos
