Trump says he will declare Hormuz US territory ‘pretty soon’; Iran rejects claim

The Strait of Hormuz's shipping traffic remains restricted, with only 17% of pre-conflict levels recorded in the past week, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations center. A total of 151 vessels entered or exited the strategic waterway, a minor improvement from the previous week's 4%, and 56 reports of vessel damage have been recorded since the US-Iran conflict began on February 28. The Southern Omani route has experienced the most attacks, accounting for 16 of the 18 reported strikes since July 6.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi rejected US President Donald Trump's claim that he would declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory once Iran is defeated. Gharibabadi emphasized that the waterway remains Iranian and will continue to be governed by Iran. Despite the US naval blockade, Iran-flagged vessels continued to enter and exit the Strait, while no US-flagged vessels were recorded. Product tankers were the most common type of vessel using the contested waterway.

The US Central Command reported that 62 commercial vessels were redirected, three were disabled, and two were boarded while enforcing the US blockade against Iran in the Arabian Sea. The actions were taken to ensure compliance with the blockade. This development comes amid ongoing tensions between the US and Iran, as both nations continue to claim control over the Strait of Hormuz and its nuclear program.