Pete King to Newsmax: Strait Of Hormuz Will Decide Iran Conflict

President Donald Trump's plan to deploy warships and mobilize international support to secure the Strait of Hormuz could shape the course of the war in Iran, former New York Rep. Pete King told Newsmax on Sunday.

"Ultimately it's not going to be easy," King said on Newsmax's "Wake Up America Weekend." "It's going to be a tough, tough job.

"I think it can be done. I think the president will be able to mobilize enough support to get it done."

Trump said Saturday, after strikes on Iran's Kharg Island, that multiple nations would send warships alongside the United States to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains open.

King said the narrow waterway has become the central strategic battleground in the conflict.

"To me, right now, the whole war is going to revolve around the Strait of Hormuz," King said. "And I'm positive that President Trump will find a way to get that cleared.

"But it's not going to be easy. It's not going to be an easy war, but it is one that we will win."

Despite continued missile attacks, King said Iran's remaining capabilities largely reflect asymmetric tactics rather than traditional military strength.

"The reality is they have virtually no military power left," King said. "And what they have to resort to is this type of asymmetrical warfare, which is still significant, but they are losing their power as a nation state."

Still, King warned Iran may attempt to prolong the conflict by disrupting the Strait of Hormuz in hopes of triggering economic pressure inside the United States.

"The key that they have is to keep the Strait of Hormuz not functioning," King said. "If they do that, they are banking on the United States citizens just getting sick of this and gas prices increasing and clamoring for change."

King also raised concerns about potential terrorist threats inside the United States, particularly from sleeper cells and lone actors.

"We have to be concerned, especially living here in New York," King said. "We've seen it firsthand, and it's sleeper cells. I'm sure they're here."

He said the rise of encrypted communication has made detecting threats more difficult than in the years following the Sept. 11 attacks.

"In this world of encrypted apps, there's also the lone wolves," King said. "The self-starters were involved here.

"We have unofficial alliances being formed by some of these terrorist individuals."

King added that Iranian-backed groups such as Hezbollah remain a significant concern.

"In addition to that, you have state terrorist groups like Hezbollah, which are funded by Iran," he said.

King said authorities must maintain aggressive counterterrorism efforts and improve coordination among federal and local agencies.

"I've been talking to people involved here in New York that they're concerned about what they don't know," King said.

Addressing the human cost of the conflict, King acknowledged the deaths of U.S. service members while stressing the broader stakes of confronting Iran.

"Every death, every injury, every wound is tragic," King said. "The reality is that we live in a very dangerous world."

He said the American public must recognize that global threats sometimes require sacrifice.

"The fact is, every generation has faced challenges like this, and America has always faced up to them," King said.

King added that maintaining support for the president during the conflict is critical to ending the war sooner.

"If we want to stop the death, if we want to stop the war, the most important thing to do is stand behind the commander in chief," King said. "He's the one who's going to get us through this."

He warned that failing to confront Iran now could lead to a larger conflict in the future.

"If we don't take on Iran now, our children and grandchildren are going to do it in the future," King said. "And that's going to cause much more death than the horrific wounds."

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