Nobody else will clean up the mess in Iran. That means U.S. President Donald Trump needs to finish the war he started so impulsively—by setting a limited, achievable goal of reopening the Strait of Hormuz and containing an Iranian regime that’s seething for revenge.

This metastasizing war entered a dangerous new phase Wednesday as Israel struck Iran’s South Pars gas field and Iran retaliated by hitting Qatar’s nearby liquefied natural gas facilities at Ras Laffan. The Trump administration’s predicament was suggested by Thursday’s statement from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that the United States may “un-sanction” Iranian oil in tankers to ease the price shock, even as the war continues.

Nobody else will clean up the mess in Iran. That means U.S. President Donald Trump needs to finish the war he started so impulsively—by setting a limited, achievable goal of reopening the Strait of Hormuz and containing an Iranian regime that’s seething for revenge.

This metastasizing war entered a dangerous new phase Wednesday as Israel struck Iran’s South Pars gas field and Iran retaliated by hitting Qatar’s nearby liquefied natural gas facilities at Ras Laffan. The Trump administration’s predicament was suggested by Thursday’s statement from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that the United States may “un-sanction” Iranian oil in tankers to ease the price shock, even as the war continues.

Gas may be an even bigger worry for the global economy than oil. Qatar provides about 20 percent of the world’s LNG supply, and spot prices have nearly doubled this month. Energy experts tell me Gulf countries could export at least 7 million barrels a day using pipelines to bypass the strait. No such workaround exists for Qatari gas.

Trump took a rare step away from Israel after the gas attacks, saying it had “violently lashed out” in attacking South Pars without informing him. He promised that Israel would launch “NO MORE ATTACKS” on South Pars if Iran........

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