US may 'escalate to de-escalate' against Iran: Treasury chief

Trump on Saturday threatened to "obliterate" Iranian energy plants if Tehran did not fully open the pivotal Strait of Hormuz, just a day after saying US objectives were "very close" and that he was considering "winding down" the war. Asked on NBC's "Meet the Press" if Trump was winding down or escalating the war, Bessent said: "They're not mutually exclusive. Sometimes you have to escalate to de-escalate." "This is the only language the Iranians understand," he argued. Iran's threats against shipping through the Strait of Hormuz...