Trump Claims Strait of Hormuz as US Territory

President Donald Trump declared the Strait of Hormuz as United States territory on August 18, 2026, asserting that the U.S. maintains total control of the waterway via a naval blockade. This proclamation followed the expiration of a 60-day ceasefire and memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in June, which Trump refused to extend. He demanded that Iran surrender and cease its nuclear weapons program, while simultaneously announcing a crushing economic operation to isolate Tehran.

In response, Iran shifted to a fully offensive military posture. Iranian officials, including Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, declared the strait would remain closed until the U.S. lifts oil sanctions, unfreezes assets, and ends the blockade. Tensions escalated as Iran and Oman negotiated a separate maritime transit route to manage shipping, prompting Trump to threaten to bomb Oman if it interfered with U.S. interests.

Regional instability intensified with a projectile attack on the vessel Minoan Dignity, which killed a crew member, and reports of Iranian ballistic missiles launched toward the United Arab Emirates. Iran further warned it may strike U.S. military assets in Europe, specifically in Bulgaria and Cyprus, and sabotage subsea fiber-optic cables. While U.S. envoy Jared Kushner reported robust back-channel conversations with the Iranian government, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps dismissed these claims as delusions. The conflict has severely disrupted global shipping, causing Brent crude prices to surge above $91 per barrel.