Sen. Rick Scott of Florida said Tuesday that President Trump may have to resume full military operations against Iran, arguing escalation is necessary after an initial ceasefire deal expired without holding.
Scott predicted Trump may order another round of strikes on Iran within 30 days, tying the timeline directly to Iran's continued threats against commercial and naval traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical shipping corridors through which roughly a fifth of global oil supply passes.
In a separate op-ed published in The Daily Wire, Scott called on Trump to deliver what he described as the "final blow" against Iran and urged Americans to unite behind the effort.
Scott said Trump will have to follow through on his stated threat to bomb Iranian infrastructure — bridges and power plants — each time Iranian forces fire on ships in the Strait. "At some point, he will not have a choice but to do more" if Iran keeps up its maritime aggression, Scott said.
The position puts Scott among the most hawkish Republican voices on Iran policy at a moment when the administration's own stance is under scrutiny. The failed ceasefire created an open question inside both parties about what comes next — whether Trump pursues a second diplomatic off-ramp or moves toward sustained military pressure.
Scott did not specify what intelligence or military assessment underpins his 30-day prediction, and the White House had not publicly confirmed any imminent strike order as of Tuesday. But the senator's public posture reflects a view gaining traction among a bloc of Senate Republicans: that limited strikes have not produced lasting behavioral change from Tehran and that more direct action is now required.
The Strait of Hormuz sits between Iran and Oman at its narrowest point — roughly 21 miles wide — and Iran has used the threat of closure or disruption as leverage in past standoffs with Washington. Any sustained Iranian interference there carries direct consequences for global energy markets and U.S. naval operations in the Persian Gulf.
Scott's comments, made during a Tuesday appearance on The Hill, represent the senator's most direct public call yet for Trump to escalate. Scott has been a consistent advocate for a harder line on Iran through multiple administrations.
