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Home / US-Israel-Iran / Donald Trump warned he has ‘2 viable options’ after U.S. ‘intensifies’ strikes on Iran
US‑Israel‑Iran, Iran, Middle East

July 20, 2026

Donald Trump warned he has ‘2 viable options’ after U.S. ‘intensifies’ strikes on Iran

Donald Trump has been warned he has just “two viable options” after the U.S. military “intensified and widened” its strikes on Iran amid mounting concern over American casualties. Jennifer Kavanagh, director of military analysis at the Defense Priorities think tank, issued the stark assessment after the US military announced the deaths of multiple American troops killed by Iranian action over the weekend.

She stated that the United States had returned to war with Iran following a brief ceasefire, with American forces stepping up strikes on Iranian infrastructure and reimposing a blockade on Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Ms Kavanagh said: “After a short-lived ceasefire, the United States has returned to war against Iran. For the past nine days, the U.S. military has intensified and widened its strikes on Iranian infrastructure targets and reimposed its blockade on Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s retaliation has already proven costly and dangerous. At least three, probably four, U.S. servicemembers lost their lives in recent days and U.S. bases across the Gulf region have been damaged.”

Ms Kavanagh continued: “The Trump administration’s ostensible goal, restoring the pre-war status quo in Hormuz, is not achievable using military force.

“More bombing cannot take away Iran’s geographic advantages or eliminate its ability to strike ships passing through the maritime chokepoint.

Read at Express UK

Featuring

Jennifer
Kavanagh

Senior Fellow & Director of Military Analysis

Defense Priorities

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