Trump Claims Control of Strait of Hormuz Amid Iran Conflict

The United States and Iran are locked in a five-month conflict that has severely disrupted global shipping in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea. Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces have total control of the Strait of Hormuz, claiming the U.S. has mineswept the waterway and established an infallible blockade of Iranian ports. In contrast, Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei declared the strait will remain closed until the U.S. releases frozen assets and ends regional wars.

Military tensions escalated on August 12, 2026, when U.S. Central Command used Hellfire missiles to disable the steering gear of the M/V Vela Nova, a Panama-flagged cargo ship attempting to evade the blockade. Simultaneously, Iran-aligned Houthi rebels attacked an Egyptian-owned vessel, the Tihamah, in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, resulting in reports of four to six deaths. Iran has further formalized its wartime command structure through six senior military and security postings.

Despite the hostilities, diplomatic channels remain open. Pakistan and Qatar report that negotiations involving Oman are making progress, though Trump has demanded that Iran pay compensation for damages caused to Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza over the last 50 years. Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman warned that Iran will likely control the Strait of Hormuz for the foreseeable future, arguing that economic pressure is unlikely to force Iranian concessions.