The luxurious hotel “Al Bustan Palace” (on the photo) in Muscat, the capital of Oman, where the legendary head of American diplomacy Henry Kissinger (1923-2023) once stayed during discreet Middle Eastern negotiations on order in the Persian Gulf? Perhaps town Khasab on the Musandam Peninsula—an exclave of Oman directly opposite the Straits of Hormuz? Or let’s say the port of Salalah in the extreme southwest of Oman, the third in the world in the speed of cargo trans shipment (according to the World Bank and S&P) where the US military has the right of logistical access?
The listing of these locations is not accidental. Namely, it comes after today’s threat by US President Donald Trump that the US could bomb Oman if it “gets in the way” regarding the Hormuz case.
“If Oman gets in the way ( regarding controlling the Strait of Hormuz), we will bomb the shit out of them ,” President Trump said. (https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20260817-trump-threatens-to-bomb-oman-if-it-gets-in-the-way-of-us-iran-negotiations/).
Trump’s first military threat to a country on the Arabian Peninsula, since the outbreak of the conflict between the USA and Israel against Iran at the end of February, followed the news that official Tehran and Muscat, after three months of negotiations, reached a mutual agreement on the “zoning” of the waterway of the Strait of Hormuz (https://en.yenisafak.com/world/iran-oman-reach-deal-on-hormuz-shipping-route-map-3721945).
As recently as last Friday, the US president announced that he would declare the Strait of Hormuz US territory when “we soon defeat Iran” (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/14/trump-threat-strait-hormuz-us-territory).
A sharp reaction from Tehran followed (https://www.nbcnews.com/world/iran/iran-rejects-delusions-trump-strait-hormuz-us-territory-rcna592666), but the official Muscat did not comment on the matter. It remains unclear whether the Strait of Hormuz as American territory would include both shores of that strait, or only the Iranian one?
Meanwhile, after Trump’s threat to bomb Oman, one question could be asked.
Which locations within Oman, otherwise the only country besides Iran, on the shores of the Strait of Hormuz, could be targeted by a possible US bombing, and which would be spared? Official Muscat has not yet reacted regarding Trump’s latest threat to the sultanate. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant threatened Oman with sanctions in April if it cooperates with Tehran on the arrangement of the Hormuz Strait. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/28/us-treasury-threatens-oman-with-sanctions-over-hormuz-strait)
If Muscat takes the “bomb threat” seriously, US’ entry into the naval-diplomatic arena of Hormuz, may be further hampered.
