‘Hit them hard’: Does Trump have another ‘new’ Iran strategy, can it work?

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that US-Iran hostilities escalated again on Monday, after Washington struck military targets on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz and Iran answered with missile attacks on US-linked airbases in Jordan. President Donald Trump then warned the US would “hit them hard,” signaling what appears to be a more forceful phase in a war that has now stretched into its seventh month. The reporting says the renewed exchange has raised concerns about a wider conflict in the Gulf region.

The article says the Trump administration’s approach has shifted repeatedly since the fighting began, moving from an initial military campaign to ceasefire efforts and later toward greater economic pressure. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has promoted sanctions targeting Iranian oil sales and related entities, arguing that financial strain is affecting Tehran. Iranian officials rejected claims that the economy is collapsing and said they still have enough foreign currency.

Al Jazeera also notes reporting by Axios that Washington may be considering a “no war, no peace” approach, in which it would carry out periodic strikes rather than pursue a sustained war. The goal, according to that report, would be to keep shipping moving through the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, a vital global trade route that has been heavily disrupted since the conflict began. The article says neither side appears to want immediate full-scale war, but both have shown they will respond militarily when they see a threat.

Analysts quoted by Al Jazeera caution that repeated strikes could amount to a long-term conflict management strategy rather than a real solution, and may prove difficult for the US to sustain.