TEHRAN - Iran’s decision to control the Strait of Hormuz, set against the backdrop of the ongoing U.S.-Israeli joint assault, has further exposed President Donald Trump’s strategic miscalculations. It appears President Trump has resorted to psychological and media warfare against Iran to gloss over U.S. military failures in the war with Iran, which began on February 28.

The U.S. and Israel launched a war on Iran in a bid to cripple the country’s military capabilities and leadership. They martyred top Iranian military commanders and Iran’s Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. Nonetheless, from the first day of the aggression, Iran began retaliatory strikes against Israel and U.S. bases in the Persian Gulf region. Experts believe President Trump made a miscalculation because he could never have imagined that Iran would give a forceful response to the strikes of the U.S. and Israel. The U.S. was also not prepared for Iran’s move to restrict access to the Strait of Hormuz. Washington was caught off guard by the speed and scale of Iran’s response. Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) has stated it will not allow “aggressors” to move “a litre of oil” through the Strait of Hormuz, as rising energy prices ripple through the global economy as a result of the U.S.–Israeli aggression. Iran says the Strait of Hormuz is open, but not for the U.S., Israel, and their allies.

Amid such misjudgments, Trump is trying to play down Iran’s strong response.

“Iran has long been known as a Master of Media Manipulation and Public Relations. They are Militarily ineffective and weak, but are really good at ‘feeding’ the very appreciative Fake News Media false information. Now, A.I. has become another Disinformation weapon that Iran uses, quite well, considering they are being annihilated by the day,” Trump said.

Such accusations come as even U.S. media have admitted the losses suffered by the American military in the region. Since the outset of the war, more than a dozen U.S. service members have lost their lives and nearly 150 others have been injured. Several U.S. warplanes and refueling aircraft have either crashed or suffered damage. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that five U.S. Air Force KC-135 refueling aircraft were damaged on the ground at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia during an Iranian missile strike.

Further in his latest anti-Iran assertions, Trump tried to play down the might of Iran’s military. “They showed phony ‘Kamikaze Boats,’ shooting at various Ships at Sea, which looks wonderful, powerful, and vicious, but these Boats don’t exist — It’s all false information to show how ‘tough’ their already defeated Military is! The five U.S. Refueling Planes that were supposedly struck down and badly damaged, according to The Wall Street Journal’s false reporting, and others, are all in service, with the exception of one, which will soon be flying the skies.”

He also accused Iran of using artificial intelligence in an attempt to cover up U.S. military losses.

“Buildings and Ships that are shown to be on fire are not — It’s FAKE NEWS, generated by A.I. For instance, Iran, working in close coordination with the Fake News Media, shows our great USS Abraham Lincoln Aircraft Carrier, one of the largest and most prestigious Ships in the World, burning uncontrollably in the Ocean,” Trump said.

Earlier, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accused U.S. media of spreading fake news and threatened to have their permits revoked. Experts argue that such comments are merely a ploy to sweep the U.S. military losses in the war with Iran under the carpet.

Trump also once again claimed that his military has dismantled Iran’s military capabilities, saying, “Iran is being decimated.”

Trump has claimed the U.S. has destroyed “100%” of Iran’s navy. But he has called on U.S. allies and China to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz to regain control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Countries including the United Kingdom, France, Japan, South Korea, and China have so far declined to commit warships in response to Trump’s appeal for a naval escort mission through the Strait of Hormuz.

The strait normally handles roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil exports, underscoring the strategic and economic impact of any disruption to shipping through this narrow passage. The U.S. and Israeli aggression against Iran has so far sent shockwaves across global energy markets. Many countries, particularly European nations, are feeling the pinch of rising energy prices, and the situation is expected to worsen. Energy prices are also soaring in the U.S. amid tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.

For now, it stands out a mile that the current crisis in the waterway is rooted in the misjudgment of President Trump. Instead of admitting his strategic mistakes, the U.S. air forces continue attacks across Iran, targeting residential areas and energy sites in a bid to spark discontent in Iran and pit the people against the government. Such a scheme seems unlikely, as Iranians from all walks of life have demonstrated resilience and boosted their solidarity in the face of foreign aggression.