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Monday, August 31, 2026
Report: Trump weighing plan for limited strikes on Hormuz to prevent Iran from rebuilding
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleNava Freiberg is The Times of Israel's deputy diplomatic correspondent.
US President Donald Trump and senior administration officials reviewed last week a new US Central Command plan for limited strikes in the Strait of Hormuz aimed at preventing Iran from rebuilding its military capabilities there, Channel 12 reports, citing senior US officials.
The plan is intended to “mow the lawn,” as one US official puts it, by striking Iranian radar and missile capabilities and reducing the threat to oil tankers, US Navy vessels and US Air Force aircraft operating in and around the vital waterway.
The phrase “mowing the lawn” was used prior to the most recent Gaza war to describe Israel’s approach to terror groups’ military capabilities in Gaza.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth backed the plan, though Trump has yet to approve it, the report continues, saying the latest exchange of strikes between the US and Iran could push the president toward giving the plan a green light.
Over the past two months, the US military has gradually increased its control over the Strait of Hormuz, allowing oil exports through the waterway to rise.
But CENTCOM has warned Hegseth and Trump in recent days that Iran has begun trying to rebuild its capabilities in the strait, and that limited US strikes may therefore be necessary to prevent Tehran from reestablishing them, according to Channel 12.
The White House had until recently been inclined to reject the proposal to avoid further escalation with Iran, the officials say, adding that yesterday’s Iranian missile attack on US bases in Jordan is now prompting a reassessment.
The Times of Israel Community.