$TRUMP has claimed that Washington’s blockade of Iranian ports is yielding results, urging Tehran to "just give up".
In response, Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf dismissed the US pressure campaign, while Iranian military officials indicated that their restraint so far was "intended to give diplomacy a chance".
The standoff in the Strait of Hormuz has driven global oil prices beyond $120 per barrel, with US fuel prices reaching a four-year high.
Meanwhile, activists on an aid flotilla bound for Gaza alleged Israeli forces had begun intercepting vessels, as per Al Jazeera.
The US Central Command has prepared a plan for a "short and powerful" strike targeting Iranian infrastructure. However, Trump has not approved military action, favouring continued economic pressure through the blockade, as per Axios.
$TRUMP has also advised Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to attack Lebanon "surgically" only, and not go for full-fledged war as it makes "Israel look bad".