Strait of Hormuz Crisis Escalates

Trump declares Strait of Hormuz will soon be US territory, escalating rhetoric. US-Iran peace deal fragile, Houthi attacks cripple Bab el-Mandab. Pentagon press restrictions under Hegseth reduce transparency. New US strategy links Iraq and Syria to counter Iran and China. Critical update: After six months of war, US military power is crumbling—SPR at 1983 lows, missile defenses halved, 14 US deaths. Victory seen as impossible. The prolonged conflict is now threatening GOP midterm prospects, with vulnerable Republicans reluctant to support Trump's unpopular war.