Live updates: Trump threatens to bomb US ally Oman as Iran agreement expires

President Donald Trump threatened U.S. ally Oman with military force on Monday, August 17, 2026, warning that Washington would bomb the Gulf nation if it interferes with separate negotiations to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz as a critical 60-day diplomatic window expired.

Strait of Hormuz Negotiations and the Expiring Peace Window

A 60-day Memorandum of Understanding signed on June 18 to negotiate a permanent ceasefire between the United States and Iran officially expired on Monday with no final agreement in sight, leaving the conflict unresolved nearly six months after it began in late February. While Washington and Tehran remain starkly divided, Iran announced it has reached an understanding with Oman regarding a map for a transit route through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters in Tehran that both sides had agreed on a transit map and intended to finalize the understanding through a joint statement. The waterway, which handles roughly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil supplies, was effectively closed by Tehran after joint U.S. and Israeli attacks on February 28.

Trump Directs Threats at Muscat Over Separate Talks

Oman, a neutral Gulf state that borders the southern side of the strait and maintains long-standing military and economic ties with Washington, has attempted to mediate the crisis. However, those diplomatic efforts drew a sharp, aggressive response from the White House. During a phone interview on Monday, President Trump told Fox News reporter Trey Yingst that the United States would retaliate against Muscat if its parallel diplomacy bypassed U.S. objectives.

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The remark marks the second time Trump has issued such a threat against the strategic U.S. partner following a similar warning during a cabinet meeting in May.

Backchannel Claims Denied as Regional Strains Spread

During the same interview, Trump claimed that the U.S. maintains a direct backchannel with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. That assertion was swiftly rejected by Iranian military leadership. A spokesman for the IRGC told the semi-official Tasnim News agency that no discussions were taking place and dismissed the claim as a fantasy born from wartime frustration.

Live updates: Trump threatens to bomb US ally Oman as Iran agreement expires
Photo: Theguardian

“No discussion dey take place between IRGC officials and di Americans, and dis lie by Trump na just fantasis caused by di delusions and nightmares e don suffer becos of di defeat and desperation of di war.”

An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesperson, via Tasnim News and BBC

Meanwhile, hostilities continued to ripple across the region. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for a missile and drone strike near the Bab el-Mandab Strait targeting commercial and military vessels belonging to Saudi Arabia, though Riyadh did not immediately confirm the attack.

Weapons Stockpiles and the Path Ahead

With the 60-day diplomatic framework elapsed and no word of a formal extension, Trump stated that he faced no time schedule and was not in a hurry to conclude the conflict. Whether Muscat and Tehran will formally release their finalized transit agreement despite Washington’s explicit warnings remains the central question for regional shipping security.

Close up foto of President Donald Trump as e dey tok for outside wit im hand for up. E wear "make America great again" cap
Photo: BBC
Trump threatens to 'bomb' Oman if it 'gets in the way' as U.S.-Iran ceasefire expires

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