Joe Kent, President Donald Trump's former counterterrorism chief, urged Washington to withdraw U.S. troops from the Middle East and offer Iran sanctions relief or unfreeze assets in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Kent warned that implementing Trump's threat of "crushing economic" measures could prompt Iran to strike U.S. troops still in the region. The waterway, which transported roughly 20 million barrels of oil a day in 2025, has fueled market volatility amid uncertainty over the conflict and Trump's rejection of extending a 60-day ceasefire with Iran. WTI crude was priced at $84.53 a barrel and Brent at $91.90, while the U.S. national average diesel price reached $5.5042 a gallon and gasoline averaged $4.0860. Analysts said Iran may have partially lost control of the strait, where Tehran is seeking a 5%-7% toll on ships. Reports also indicated that Iran was assessing potential strikes on U.S. targets in Europe, including a base in Bulgaria and possibly Cyprus.