US-Iran Tensions: Vance Demands End to Strait of Hormuz Attacks

US Vice President JD Vance issued a stark warning to Iran on Thursday evening, demanding an immediate halt to attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which much of the world's oil passes, before any diplomatic engagement can resume.

"President Trump has been very clear: we are not talking to them right now, and we will not talk to them until they stop firing at commercial ships," Vance stated. He emphasized that Washington is prepared to use every tool at its disposal, adding: "Right now, all options are on the table: economic pressure, military pressure, diplomatic pressure, and covert pressure."

The vice president also noted that despite ongoing Iranian attacks, US operations continue successfully. "We extracted a very large amount of oil barrels from the Strait of Hormuz yesterday, even though the Iranians continue to fire. They are losing capabilities every day," he said.

Vance's remarks came hours after President Donald Trump addressed concerns about American military readiness for sustained operations against Iran. In a characteristically blunt social media post, Trump pushed back against what he called inaccurate media coverage of US military capabilities.

"For all the treacherous scum who refuse to report accurately on our military operation in Iran: we have nearly unlimited quantities of medium to high-grade ammunition, far more than we could ever use in this war, or any other war (which is very unlikely!)," Trump wrote. "In addition, we are producing ammunition at a level never seen before."

The president added that the United States is "stockpiling and preparing for every possible scenario," and clarified that America is prioritizing its own arsenal over foreign arms sales, though he indicated that weapons deliveries to allies would resume soon.

Trump concluded by drawing a contrast with the previous administration's policies, claiming that "the Biden administration gave Ukraine far more ammunition, without getting anything in return, than we have used in the war with Iran. Hundreds of billions of dollars were given to Ukraine and NATO for free, when Europe was ready to pay for it if only they had been asked. We will ask them for that money, albeit somewhat belatedly!"