US Tries To Take Hormuz Or Trump Takes Pickaxe Mountain Off Ramp (The Duran)

Time Stamps:

00:00:00 Axios report on Trump's coming massive strike
00:00:56 Why Trump's "massive strikes" rarely match the hype
00:03:15 13 days of strikes, all centered on the Strait of Hormuz
00:04:52 Iran's leverage: holding onto Hormuz
00:07:01 Pickaxe Mountain as Trump's off ramp
00:09:54 What happens to Hormuz after Pickaxe Mountain
00:11:03 Why round four means ground troops
00:12:51 Iran's need for closer ties with China and Russia
00:13:16 Midterms timing and the three month buffer
00:15:08 Trump's campaign strategy heading into midterms

[Posted at the SpookyWeather2 blog, July 26, 2026.]