The US is reportedly preparing to send three more warships and thousands more troops to the Middle East, as Donald Trump called Nato allies “cowards” for not wanting to “help open” the strait of Hormuz, and while fears of the economic damage of the US-Israeli war on Iran continued to grow.

The US is reportedly considering plans to occupy or blockade Iran’s strategically crucial Kharg Island to pressure Tehran to reopen the strait.

The reports from US media organisations emerged as Iran’s military threatened it would “hunt down” officials and military commanders from the US and Israel wherever it could find them in the world, including at tourist destinations.