Tracy Mumford

In a recent meeting, a frustrated Trump asked the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff why the U.S.

can't just reopen the strait itself, and he got a straightforward answer.

Even one Iranian soldier or militia member in a speedboat could fire a missile at a slow-moving tanker or plant a mine on its hull.

Officials say it would be a hugely expensive and dangerous operation for the U.S.

military to fully clear the strait.

The second question facing Trump is, will the war require American troops on the ground?

One potential target for that is Karg Island, Iran's oil export hub, which Trump has threatened to destroy if the strait remains closed.

Seizing and holding that land, though, could require the kind of continuing military presence Trump has said he never wants to repeat.

The other potential target is the deep tunnels inland where the International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran's nearly weapons-grade uranium is stored.

Trump has said he wants to make sure the country can never have a nuclear weapon.

And Secretary of State Marco Rubio said of the uranium at one point, quote, people are going to have to go and get it.

That would require an immensely risky operation that Trump has said he is considering but not ready to order.

At a time when a lot of global attention is focused on the war with Iran, there's been a rise in attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank.

Israeli settlers have been terrorizing Palestinians in the occupied territory.

The Israeli military insists it's working to prevent that, but few have been brought to justice.

And this weekend, a family car ride ended in horror after Israeli forces themselves opened fire.

It happened late Saturday night.

The car was packed with a father, mother, and their four sons.

David Halbfinger is the Times Jerusalem bureau chief.

He spoke with two of the boys, who were the only survivors.