White House officials have reportedly drawn up plans for US marines to storm a series of tiny Iranian islands. It is claimed the potential deployment would be part of efforts to open up the Strait of Hormuz — the key trade route which has effectively been closed by Iran, pushing global oil and gas prices to skyrocket.

The American President earlier this week said he was considering “winding down” the war as it was “getting very close” to meet its military objectives.

The potential deployment of the US marines to the islands such as Larak and Kish was reported by The Sun, citing insiders.

It comes after reports suggesting Mr Trump was weighing up sending troops to take control of Kharg Island — the largest of Iran’s islands and the hub for 90% of the country’s oil exports.

As pressure grows to get shipping through the region back on track amid the continued Iran threat, the United Arab Emirates has joined 21 other countries including the UK, Germany, France and Japan in expressing “readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage.”

Concerns over the threat posed by Iran spiked after the regime targeted the joint UK-US Diego Garcia military base in the Indian Ocean about 2,500 miles away.

The failed attack suggests that Tehran has missiles that can go farther than previously acknowledged — or that it had used its space programme for an improvised launch.

The death toll from the war has risen to more than 1,500 people in Iran, more than 1,000 people in Lebanon, 15 in Israel and 13 US military members, as well as a number of civilians on land and sea in the Gulf region, according to the AP news agency