Trump launches 'crushing' economic operation as Oman seeks Hormuz diplomacy

Oman has called for immediate regional restraint and diplomatic intervention to secure the Strait of Hormuz, as US President Donald Trump announced a massive economic escalation against Tehran on Thursday, 20 August. The Omani Foreign Ministry, following meetings with Japanese officials in Muscat, rejected further military escalation, stressing that the stability of global energy supplies depends on safeguarding freedom of navigation in the strategic waterway. Trump Launches 'Crushing' Economic Operation President Trump characterized the new measures as the most severe economic operation ever taken against a sovereign nation. The strategy aims to isolate the Iranian economy by targeting not only domestic entities but also international banks and businesses that maintain ties with Tehran. Washington is shifting its strategy toward total economic pressure after military actions and prior diplomatic efforts failed to secure a new agreement on US terms. Iran Signals Shift to Offensive Military Posture In Tehran, the military leadership has signaled a transition from retaliatory strikes to offensive operations. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who assumed power following the death of Ali Khamenei in February, recently reshuffled the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) high command. The new leadership has been directed to prepare for "large-scale offensive operations" to break the current stalemate. General Mohammad Reza Naqdi, an adviser to the IRGC, dismissed the US administration’s…