Operation “Hourglass”: Trump’s Cunning Plan to Seize Three Islands That Will Rewrite the History of the War with Iran

The two-week ceasefire between Donald Trump and Iran smells not of peace, but of gunpowder.

On the map — three tiny specks of land in saltwater: the islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb. They could become bargaining chips in a major geopolitical game.

On the eve of its independence and the creation of the UAE on December 2, 1971, Iran seized these islands, previously belonging to the Arabs. As a result, the United Arab Emirates inherited a territorial dispute with Iran. As of 2026, the islands remain a point of contention between the UAE and the Islamic Republic of Iran. In practice, Tehran has maintained control over the islands since their seizure in 1971, while the UAE has made several attempts through international channels to gain sovereign control over them.

The Calm Before the Storm: Why the Ceasefire Is a Trap

When the media started talking about a “two-week peace,” there was no gloom in the Pentagon’s offices or the intelligence community’s underground bunkers — only feverish excitement. Trump found himself in a paradoxical situation: continuing the war promised massive losses, while signing a humiliating peace would mean the end of his political career.

But someone offered Trump a “third path.” According to information from sources close to intelligence circles in a Gulf state, a certain mediator — said to be a retired general with dual citizenship — passed a scenario to the White House that looked like madness on paper.

The essence of the plan is simple to the point of brilliance: use the ceasefire to reposition forces, then launch a lightning seizure of the disputed islands.

According to leaks from U.S. Navy logistics bases, an amphibious assault ship —........

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