WASHINGTON, March 23. /TASS/. The US is increasing its military presence in the Middle East ahead of a possible operation to establish control over the Strait of Hormuz in what may potentially be the final stage of the US-Israeli operation against Iran, The Washington Post writes.

"A surge of additional US forces to the Middle East and President Donald Trump’s threat to 'obliterate' Iran’s energy infrastructure have set the stage for what US and Israeli security officials increasingly see as the war’s possible endgame: a battle for control of the Strait of Hormuz and key energy installations," the newspaper says.

Opening navigation through the strait is now perhaps the primary objective of the military campaign, as achieving the original goals - regime change in Iran and a complete halt to Iran’s nuclear program - appears unrealistic, the newspaper explains. "Instead, breaking Iran’s stranglehold on the strait could enable Trump to wind down the war while claiming victory, halt an expanding global energy crisis and deprive Iran of a potent deterrent against future strikes - which senior Israeli officials described as inevitable if Tehran resumes ballistic missile production or moves to develop a nuclear weapon," The Washington Post notes.

Such an operation may last "at least weeks," the newspaper reports. US ships will have to contend with the threat of attacks from concealed coastal positions, numerous drones, and the risk of encountering underwater mines. Ensuring safe passage through the strait will require the deployment of significant military and intelligence resources for an indefinite period, and any successful Iranian attack could trigger panic in global markets, the article points out.

On March 21, Trump stated that the US would destroy several Iranian power plants if the Strait of Hormuz was not fully reopened to shipping within 48 hours. In response, the Iranian Armed Forces General Staff warned that, in the event of such an attack, Iran would launch retaliatory strikes against US energy and communications infrastructure in the region. Iran formally states that the Strait of Hormuz is not closed to traffic and that only ships linked to the United States and Israel are being targeted. However, in practice, there is virtually no shipping traffic, as companies are refusing to send vessels through the strait for fear of attacks.