Trump says Strait of Hormuz will soon become US territory

US President Donald Trump has stated that he plans to declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory once the US has finished "defeating" Iran. According to DW English and DW News, Trump made this statement at a rally in Garden City, New York state, adding that it is "true".

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, has responded to Trump's comments, saying that Iran will not be intimidated by US threats and that the Strait of Hormuz will remain under Iranian control and authority. Gharibabadi stated that the Strait of Hormuz cannot be seized by tweet, aircraft carrier, or election speech.

The US and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28, with goals including ending Iran's nuclear program and sparking a popular uprising. Iran has responded with drone and missile strikes against US allies and a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which previously handled one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

Brief written by urgent.news from Punch, Punch Nigeria, Middle East Eye, DW English (Top Stories), DW News — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.