The United States will conclude its military campaign in Iran within three weeks. President Donald Trump announced the sudden withdrawal timeline on Tuesday. The declaration is a sharp pivot in the fifth week of a massive U.S. and Israeli offensive against Tehran that has severely disrupted global energy markets.
The U.S. will also abandon its historic role as the guarantor of maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump explicitly stated the U.S. will not forcibly reopen the blockaded waterway. He shifted the burden entirely to nations reliant on Middle Eastern oil. “That’s not for us,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday. “That’ll be for whoever’s using the strait.” He suggested allied countries should secure their own fuel supplies.
The ongoing military operations began in late February. The campaign featured extensive U.S. bombing of Iranian military and nuclear sites. The administration is now dropping previous demands that Tehran accept a formal ceasefire agreement before American forces depart. Trump noted that leaving Iran is the only step needed to bring global oil prices down.
The abrupt timeline arrives alongside severe diplomatic fallout with Europe. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington must reexamine its relationship with NATO. Multiple European allies refused to grant the U.S. military basing and overflight rights during the conflict. Rubio questioned the value of defending Europe if allies deny the U.S. support in its time of need.
Regional hostilities are still active. A drone attack sparked a large fire at fuel storage tanks at Kuwait International Airport late Tuesday. Local aviation authorities reported no casualties. Trump is scheduled to deliver a prime-time national address regarding the conflict at 9:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday, according to a detailed report from the White House.
The Broader Geopolitical Shift
The decision to leave the Strait of Hormuz unguarded is a fundamental rewiring of global trade security. The waterway handles roughly one-fifth of the world’s daily oil supply. By forcing Asian and European markets to secure their own transit routes, the U.S. is abandoning a core tenet of the Carter Doctrine that defined American foreign policy for decades. The immediate economic reaction was sharp. Asian stock markets surged early Wednesday. Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped over 3 percent and South Korea’s Kospi rose nearly 5 percent as investors priced in a rapid end to the fighting. The refusal to clear the blockade leaves European allies exposed to sustained energy shortages as the U.S. national average for gasoline remains above $4 a gallon.