Trump Threatens to Annex Strait of Hormuz Amid Iran War

The United States and Israel have been engaged in a war against Iran since February 28, 2026, following airstrikes that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The conflict has led to an Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting one-fifth of global oil supplies and driving U.S. gasoline prices up 29 percent year-over-year.

Donald Trump recently claimed at a New York rally that he would declare the Strait of Hormuz as United States territory after defeating Iran. While a White House official suggested the comment was a joke, Trump later called the plan a great idea to ensure Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon. He further threatened to bomb Oman if it interferes with U.S. control of the waterway. In response, Iran shifted to a fully offensive military posture, seized a UAE oil tanker, and launched drone attacks against Masrour Barzani's office in Iraq.

Diplomatic efforts have struggled as a 60-day memorandum of understanding expired on August 17, 2026. Although the two nations agreed to extend the truce, Trump demanded Iran surrender and raise a white flag. Iranian officials, including Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, rejected these demands, asserting the strait remains under Iranian command.

Strategic tensions remain high as the U.S. Navy recalls the USS Abraham Lincoln due to supply shortages. Meanwhile, reports suggest the administration is weighing the use of nuclear weapons to destroy deeply buried Iranian facilities like Pickaxe Mountain, a claim the White House has not confirmed.