On Wednesday, July 15th, 2026, President Trump confirmed his willingness to wipe out the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in a manner similar to the 2019 campaign against the Islamic State (ISIS) if deemed necessary. During an interview on Fox Business, Trump was questioned about his conclusion that negotiations with the IRGC were futile and whether that implied a potential military approach akin to the anti-ISIS operations.

The 2019 campaign against ISIS involved Iraq-based U.S. special operations forces and significant support to the Iraqi military, which provided the majority of ground troops reclaiming ISIS-controlled territories. The campaign also included Russian-backed Syrian units and Iraqi Shia militias supported by Iran and the IRGC.

Trump noted that Iranian officials had expressed interest in resuming peace talks earlier that day, stating, “They always want to meet. They’re nasty people, but they want to make a deal … You don’t have to be a genius to realize when you see what’s happening to them every night.”

Following frustrations with Iranian negotiators, Trump reimposed a blockade on Iranian ports on Tuesday, July 14th. Central Command reported that within the first 17 hours of the blockade, two commercial vessels were redirected. CENTCOM added on social media that “The U.S. military remains vigilant and prepared to ensure full compliance.” Additionally, the military redirected 140 ships and disabled nine more during that period.

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