The Strait of Hormuz will reopen. Washington will pay the cost

President Donald Trump’s five-day extension to his ultimatum has delayed the decision point. It does not resolve the underlying constraint. The Strait of Hormuz will reopen, even if not on Washington’s timeline.

If negotiations fail, as they are likely to, the United States will force the strait open: through naval escort under fire, direct strikes, or sustained escalation. The question is not whether maritime flow will be restored, but when and at what cost.

After Iranian attacks on merchant shipping earlier this month, traffic through the strait has collapsed from more than 100 vessels a day to almost none. Insurers have withdrawn coverage. Tankers idle at the entrance to the strait.

ACT NOW ON THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ — OR PAY A FAR GREATER PRICE LATER

The objective for Washington is clear: restore freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most critical trade routes and prevent the strait from becoming