The White House is bracing for a possible multi-day or multi-week period of exchanges with Iran centered on the Strait of Hormuz, according to US officials who spoke with Axios.

The length and scope of the current round hinge on Tehran's next moves, the officials explained. They assessed that the flare-up might run from a single day to as long as a month if Iran keeps targeting commercial traffic through the vital waterway.

One official stated that the aim is to deliver a measured response so Iran recognizes the seriousness of the situation following recent US actions.

Officials further noted that the administration sees greater flexibility to act because numerous oil tankers have safely passed through the Gulf in recent weeks.

This development has reduced worries inside the administration that fresh clashes would spark an immediate surge in oil prices, they said.

Iran's leverage in the strait has weakened as many vessels have used the southern passage near the Omani coast, the sources added.

Another official attributed the latest round to hard-line elements within Iran's divided leadership who feel the prior Memorandum of Understanding brought Tehran no tangible gains.

They began firing, prompting a firm reply, the official remarked, adding that the process requires patience and that talks will not proceed without a satisfactory outcome.

Conclusion of MoU and US Response to Iran

US Central Command confirmed that American forces finished their most recent series of strikes against Iranian targets on Thursday morning.

The step follows President Donald Trump's Wednesday remarks that he viewed the Memorandum of Understanding with Iran as ended after overnight exchanges in the Strait of Hormuz.

At the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Trump told reporters he believed the agreement was finished, that time spent negotiating had been wasted, and that he no longer wished to pursue discussions.

He described Iranian leaders in strong terms and later indicated on Air Force One that Iranian representatives had reached out seeking a deal, though he questioned whether they would honor any agreement.

Iran has not issued a formal reply to these statements. Iran's chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, accused the United States of coercion and failing to keep commitments, warning that the strait would reopen only under conditions set by Tehran.

Ghalibaf posted that any strike would be met in kind and that passage would depend on Iranian terms rather than external pressure.