DONALD Trump is weighing up launching a fresh round of “short and powerful” strikes on Iran to finally unlock the Strait of Hormuz.
It comes amid reports the US is set to use the menacing £11million Long-Range Hypersonic Dark Eagle missile against Iran for the first time.
Trump could launch a fresh round of ‘short and powerful’ strikes on Iran Credit: AFP
Centcom commander Admiral Brad Cooper is set to give Trump a range of new options today to release Tehran’s choke on the fiercely contested Strait of Hormuz, Axios reports .
The high-stakes meeting has sparked speculation the US president is seriously mulling a new round of devastating strikes before ending the war.
Cooper is said to have prepared plans for a “short and powerful” wave of strikes – hoping it will finally break Tehran and force them to give up their blockade of the key waterway, reports say.
The US blitzing campaign – which kicked off on February 28 but has stopped since the April 8 ceasefire – will hopefully force the regime to submit to Trump’s demands.
The Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon, or Dark Eagle, could be deployed to unlock the negotiation deadlock Credit: US Army/Spc. Chandler Coats
Trump is mulling fresh strikes on Iran Credit: EPA
Following unsuccessful peace talks in Pakistan between and Tehran, the two sides have reached a negotiating deadlock.
Trump is also set to be briefed on plans for the US to take over the strait with ground forces, and for a special forces operation to secure Iran’s enriched uranium stockpiles.
The proposed strike plans come amid reports the is considering sending long-range hypersonic missiles to the Middle East.
The £11million Dark Eagle rocket could be used to hit hidden Iranian missile launchers.
The Strait of Hormuz has been locked down for weeks Credit: Reuters
US has already deployed aircraft carriers to the Middle East Credit: AFP
The US has been struggling to strike these targets as Precision Strike missiles currently being used only have a max range of about 500km, reports say.
The Dark Eagle, on the other hand, has a range of about 2700km and can reach speeds of up to Mach 5.
If approved, the deployment would mark the first time the US has used a hypersonic missile which has not been declared fully operational yet.
The Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon, known as Dark Eagle, has a reported range of 1,725 miles.
The Dark Eagle missiles cost about £11million each Credit: Alamy
Smoke rises after US-Israeli strikes on Tehran Credit: Getty
It is designed for “long range conventional precision strike capability” against “time-sensitive and heavily defended targets,” according to the Library of Congress.
Each missile is understood to cost roughly £11million and there are currently no more than eight of them, sources told Bloomberg.
The cost of each battery is reportedly £2billion, the outlet said.
and have already deployed these weapons, reports say.
It comes after Trump threatened Iran with a gun-toting AI picture – warning “no more Mr Nice Guy” after claiming the regime is collapsing.
The US president also ordered Washington to prepare for the blockade of Iranian ports to be extended – amid global market chaos sparked by the Strait of Hormuz saga.
He said on Wednesday: “Iran can’t get their act together.
“They don’t know how to sign a nonnuclear deal. They better get smart soon!”
He blasted Tehran in a post alongside an AI-generated image of himself wearing a suit and dark glasses while wielding a rifle.
Trump on Tuesday claimed the regime had admitted it was in a “state of collapse”.
Terror state leaders offered the US president and re-open the paralysed – but only if he lifts the US blockade and shelves demands for them to scrap nukes.
said he “doesn’t love” the plan because it would leave a stockpile of enriched uranium in the hands of fanatical Islamist mullahs, reports say.
President Trump said in a previous Truth Social post: “Iran has just informed us they are ‘in a state of collapse’.
“They want to as they try to figure out their leadership situation (which I believe they will be able to do!).”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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