JERUSALEM, Israel – President Trump announced on Tuesday that the U.S. military has cleared the Strait of Hormuz of mines, removing another obstacle to traffic on the vital waterway.
While administration officials cautioned this week that the military option against the Tehran regime is still an option, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told his foreign counterparts on Tuesday that the economic moves take precedence over military strikes.
China is pushing back against the pressure campaign. Lin Jian, a foreign ministry spokesman, warned against what the government calls “illegal unilateral sanctions,” saying, “China will do everything necessary to firmly safeguard its rights and interests.”
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Inside Iran, the economic crisis is reaching a critical point, and ordinary Iranians are paying the price.
The Iranian rial has plunged to a record low, while inflation is running at 87 percent. The Associated Press showed photos of cars and motorcycles lined up for gasoline in the capital.
Tehran resident Siamak Rezaei said, “Last year, since the 12-day war, business has kept crashing and stalling. Everyone is like me. As the saying goes, we’ve been barely getting by, just trying to keep up appearances.”
Middle East analyst Emily Schrader believes that Iranians are ready to resist the Islamic Republic, even without the weapons they need.
She told CBN News, “The number one message from people on the ground inside Iran: they are ready to use their own lives, their own bodies, to fight back against the Islamic Republic. They don’t feel they have the necessary arms.”
Meanwhile, Washington is heavily pressuring Iran’s leadership, offering $10 million for information on senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) members, including Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
The White House is taking a different approach with Syria. Rubio announced that Syria is being removed from the U.S. list of state terrorism sponsors. Syrian regimes have been on that list for 47 years.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa noted, “Today, Syria shakes off a dirty stain…I extend my sincere thanks to U.S. President Donald Trump.”
Meanwhile, Israel is staying in the Syrian buffer zone. Defense Minister Israel Katz insists that Israeli forces will remain as long as there are jihadist threats within the country.
“We are here to protect our communities and our border,” Katz remarked.
In Gaza, a surge in kites launched from the strip is raising concerns that Hamas could revive the tactic of using the incendiary children’s toys against Israel. In a rare warning, the U.S.-backed Gaza Board of Peace told Israel to limit fire to “genuine” threats, while calling for all militant activity inside Gaza, including kite flying, to stop.
Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said that targeted killings of October 7th terrorists will continue until they are eliminated.
