World News Updates: Trump says will declare Hormuz US territory ‘pretty soon’; Iran hits back

On Friday, US President Donald Trump announced plans to declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory as soon as the ongoing war with Iran concludes. During a press conference in Garden City, New York, Trump stated, "Pretty soon I'll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States."

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, responded harshly to Trump's declaration on social media platform X. Gharibabadi emphasized, "The Strait of Hormuz has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian."

The announcement of the potential US claim to the strategic Strait of Hormuz has had a significant impact on global oil markets. Oil prices have surged dramatically, with Brent crude nearing $90 a barrel and US petrol prices reaching $4 a gallon. In response to the price increases, Trump urged Americans to accept "a tiny little bit more" for fuel.

Meanwhile, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia's Flores region early Saturday, drawing concern from geologists worldwide. The US Geological Survey reported the earthquake's epicenter was located 68km north-northwest of Ende, at a depth of 10km. Fortunately, no casualties or damage have been reported at this time.