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U.S. President Donald Trump warned on Monday that the United States would "bomb the s***" out of Oman if the Gulf nation "gets in the way" of American operations. The warning comes amid an intense standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, just as a 60-day U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement was expiring.
"If Oman gets in the way, we'll bomb the s*** out of them," Trump declared during a Fox News interview with Trey Yingst.
The remark came as Iran said it had been negotiating with Oman over how to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump told Fox News that Iran should "put up the white flag of surrender."
"What we have used (in munitions) so far is peanuts," he said, adding that he has "no schedule" for resolving the conflict. "I'm not in a hurry ... the midterms have nothing to do with my thinking," Trump said.
Trump confirmed the existence of a direct backchannel between the U.S. and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
"We have a backchannel with the IRGC. We are speaking directly with the IRGC officials in Iran," he said.
Describing Iran's position, Trump said: "They're good poker players, but they're dying."
Trump separately reaffirmed on Truth Social that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains his top priority in the conflict.
"The number one Goal is, and always will be, that Iran cannot have, in any way, shape, or form, a Nuclear Weapon," he wrote.
Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Obama-era nuclear deal with Iran during his first term in 2018.
Publicly, there has been no progress in peace talks between Tehran and Washington in recent days, and it remains unclear whether the U.S. plans to renew its military offensive now that the ceasefire has expired.
Trump indicated positive progress on efforts to get Hamas to disarm but said Israel should not currently be striking Gaza.
"We have our own relationship with Hamas. They are giving up their guns," he said.
Asked about the situation in Gaza, Trump said Israeli forces "should not be striking" there, adding: "We have a different channel with Hamas, and ultimately they are giving up their guns."
Asked about Israel's upcoming election, Trump did not endorse any candidate.
"I think it's most appropriate for me to stay out of Israeli elections, but I may endorse somebody," he said.
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