The United States faces limited options regarding the Strait of Hormuz, former Defense Secretary James Mattis said, criticizing what he described as a lack of clear strategic direction toward Iran, Axios reported Tuesday.
Speaking at the CERAWeek by S&P Global conference in Houston, Mattis said the U.S. and its allies are confronting a complex and increasingly fragile situation as conflict in the region disrupts global energy markets and complicates long-term planning.
"We're in a tough spot ... and I can't identify a lot of good options," the retired Marine general told attendees.
Mattis cautioned that if President Donald Trump were to declare victory and reduce the U.S. military presence, Tehran could assert control over the strategic waterway, a critical artery for global oil shipments.
"Iran would now say, We own the strait," he said, warning such a scenario could lead to the imposition of transit fees on commercial shipping. "You could see a tax for any ship going through — something completely unsustainable in the international market."
Mattis, who was fired by Trump in 2019 before his resignation could take effect after disagreements with Trump over Syria policy, said U.S. and Israeli objectives toward Iran remain "murky," arguing that tactical military actions cannot compensate for the absence of a broader strategy.
"The Americans are fighting in a markedly limited war," he said. "Airplane targetry never makes up for a lack of strategy."
He also highlighted the logistical challenges of securing maritime traffic in the region, noting Iran's extensive coastline and its continued ability to launch attacks despite military pressure.
He added that Iran's anti-ship capabilities — including mobile cruise missile systems — pose persistent risks.
Suzanne Maloney, vice president at the Brookings Institution, echoed Mattis' assessment, saying efforts to destabilize Iran's leadership have historically proven difficult.
"Anyone who knows Iranians, knows the country, has tremendous hope and optimism for Iran, but unfortunately, this regime has been quite good at survival," Maloney said during the panel discussion.
Both speakers emphasized that addressing the resulting energy crisis will require coordinated action among U.S. allies.
"The bottom line is, there is not a problem associated with this current loss of energy supplies that can be solved by any one country," Mattis said. "You can see the role of allies, whether it be on the military side, economic sanctions side, to do some of the things that would force Iran to the negotiating table."
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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