US President Donald Trump is prepared to wind down the US military campaign against Iran without reopening the Strait of Hormuz, The Wall Street Journal reports.
The narrow waterway, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and gas usually travels, remains largely restricted after Iran moved to control access during the conflict.
According to The Wall Street Journal, US administration officials said the president has assessed that forcing the strait open would extend the conflict beyond his preferred timeline of four to six weeks.
President Trump instead would have the US focus on the goal of weakening Iran’s military capabilities, before shifting towards a diplomatic resolution to the Strait’s closure.
This plan would leave Iran in control of the vital waterway, according to the outlet.
If future negotiations to reopen the Strait fail, Washington is expected to push European and Gulf partners to take the lead in securing the passage.
Military options remain under consideration but are not seen as an immediate priority, The Wall Street Journal reports.
The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused upheaval in global markets, as countries reliant on Middle Eastern energy face supply constraints.
The White House has maintained it is working towards restoring normality, but has not listed reopening the strait as a central military objective.
It has instead continued to build American military presence in the region.
Additional naval and ground forces have been deployed, including sea units and airborne troops.