Trump threatens to bomb Oman over Strait of Hormuz interference

US President Donald Trump told Fox News on 17 August 2026 that he would "bomb the s*** out of" Oman if the country obstructed US actions in the Strait of Hormuz. The threat followed his confirmation of a backchannel with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), mediated by Kurdistan Regional Government President Nechirvan Barzani. Trump also urged Iran to "raise the white flag of surrender" and said he was in "no hurry" to reach a deal.

The 60-day ceasefire between the US and Iran expired on 18 August 2026. Iran announced a bounty of $30,000 for anyone who kills or kidnaps a US soldier, and $60,000 if the attacker is a woman. Trump dismissed Iran’s military capacity, calling its officials "good poker players, but they’re dying," and said the US had not yet deployed its most advanced weapons against Iran. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Iran would escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz if diplomacy failed.

Trump also discussed a separate channel with Hamas, saying the group had agreed to "ultimately giving up their guns," and advised Israel not to strike Gaza. He declined to endorse an Israeli candidate ahead of October elections but said he "may endorse somebody."

Both left-rated reports led on Trump’s threat to bomb Oman. Metro News quoted his exact words, "If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the s*** out of them", and framed the statement as a threat against "another country." It also noted the Iranian military’s bounty for attacks on US soldiers, the expiration of the ceasefire, and a US military email soliciting suggestions on how to "punish" Iran. Raw Story’s digest described the threat as "violent" and "vulgar."

All four centre-rated digests led on Trump’s threat to bomb Oman. The Jerusalem Post’s full report provided the most detail, quoting Trump’s exact words and framing the threat as a response to potential Omani interference in the Strait of Hormuz. It also reported Trump’s confirmation of the IRGC backchannel, his dismissal of Iran’s military capacity, and Iran’s warning of escalation if diplomacy failed. Bloomberg, Breaking The News, and The Times carried the threat in their digests but did not add further context.

Both right-rated digests led on Trump’s threat to bomb Oman. The Sun’s digest quoted his exact words, while WIN’s digest framed the threat as a response to Oman’s potential deal with Iran to jointly manage the Strait of Hormuz. WIN also noted Trump’s call for Iran to "raise the white flag of surrender." Neither digest mentioned the Iranian bounty for attacks on US soldiers.

None of the right-rated digests mentioned the Iranian military’s bounty for attacks on US soldiers. The left-rated reports did not include Trump’s statement that the US had not yet used its most advanced weapons against Iran, as reported by the Jerusalem Post. The centre-rated digests did not carry the US military email soliciting suggestions on how to "punish" Iran, which Metro News reported.