President Donald Trump said the United States may strike Iran’s Pickaxe facility "very soon," while describing the six-month conflict as an intermittent military conflict rather than a war and calling it "small potatoes" for the United States. The fighting has driven up gas prices and killed 18 American service-members. Trump said U.S. forces had targeted nearly 60 military sites around the Strait of Hormuz, including air defenses, radar systems, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities and communications facilities, while escorting ships through the waterway. The administration has emphasized sanctions on Iran’s trading partners but has so far stopped short of punishing China, Tehran’s biggest economic lifeline. Trump said China had little involvement and plans to host Chinese President Xi Jinping for a state visit this month. He also pointed to possible alternative routes and pipelines, including an overland route through Syria, that could bypass the Strait of Hormuz. Direct negotiations between Washington and Tehran have faltered, leaving a fragile pause in hostilities vulnerable to further escalation. Market pricing in the "US Invasion of Iran" prediction market has reflected an increased perceived likelihood of U.S. military action, while further statements from the administration and Pentagon, military deployments, Iranian responses and reactions from Israel, Pakistan and China remain key developments to watch.