Washington Turns the Hormuz Deadline Into an Oman Strike Threat

AP reported on August 17, 2026, that Trump again threatened Oman while Iran said it had reached an understanding with Muscat over a Strait of Hormuz transit route. A separate AP analysis said the 60-day U.S.-Iran deadline expired the same day with the sides still far apart over reopening Hormuz, lifting the U.S. blockade and defining Iran’s role. Reuters reported that Iran was threatening a more offensive posture in the strait if diplomacy failed, making the escalation a live maritime-control crisis rather than a routine diplomatic delay.