James Jeffrey, Senior Fellow for Foreign Policy at the Washington Institute, stated that former President Donald Trump must either pursue regime change in Iran or seek a solution with the Iranian government.
The Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran has transformed the Strait of Hormuz into a strategic pressure point, drawing the United States and Israel into a prolonged and costly conflict that has raised oil prices and complicated efforts to reopen the vital waterway.
Morad Vaisi, a senior political analyst, stated that following President Trump's trip to China, the U.S. has several options regarding the Islamic Republic, including intensifying economic pressure, conducting limited military operations in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf, and launching extensive attacks targeting senior IRGC commanders.
During the 38-day US military operation against Iran in 2025-2026, President Trump claimed a complete military victory, asserting that the US destroyed Iran's navy and air force, killed top military commanders, and disrupted air defenses and radar systems, while critics argue no political change occurred in the regime.
A Chinese supertanker named "Yuan Hua Hu," managed by the state-owned company COSCO Shipping, passed through the Strait of Hormuz just before the Trump-Xi Jinping talks, with maritime trackers showing it east of the strait and then turning off its tracking system after passing through Iranian waters. Several other Chinese-managed vessels also transited the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours, most of which disabled their tracking systems during passage.
