Hyderabad: US President Donald Trump has claimed that Washington has “almost total control” of the Strait of Hormuz as fresh US strikes on Iranian targets deepen tensions across West Asia.
In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump also claimed that Iran’s economy was “totally collapsing” following the latest escalation.
Trump rejected reports that he was trying to force Tehran back to the negotiating table. He said he was not concerned about whether Iran signed another agreement with the United States.
Instead, Trump said he preferred the current situation, citing what he described as US control over the strategic waterway and mounting pressure on Iran’s economy.
He also urged Iranians to challenge their government, asking when the Iranian people would “rise up and fight”.
Fresh US Strikes Raise Strait of Hormuz Tensions
Trump’s comments came hours after the US military carried out a fresh wave of strikes against Iranian targets on Tuesday.
The US Central Command said American forces targeted sites linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including air defence positions, radar systems, maritime facilities, mine-laying capabilities and communications sites.
CENTCOM said the strikes followed recent attempted attacks by the IRGC against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and US service members in the region.
Iran subsequently reported retaliatory missile and drone attacks targeting US interests and military bases in Jordan and Bahrain. Kuwait also said its air defences were responding to hostile drone attacks.
The latest exchange marked the first direct military confrontation between the two sides since July, according to the report.
Civilian Casualties Reported in Iran
Iranian officials also reported casualties at a wedding gathering in Kuhestak, Sirik, during the latest US attacks.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said a US strike hit a residential home where families were attending a wedding. More than 50 people were reportedly killed or wounded.
CENTCOM said it was aware of reports of civilian casualties and maintained that US forces do not target civilians.
The Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of the latest confrontation because of its importance to global energy supplies. Trump has repeatedly claimed that the US has established control over the waterway, while Tehran has rejected the assertion and maintained that the strait remains under Iranian control.
Iran has warned that preventing its oil exports through the Gulf could disrupt shipping for other countries as well. The IRGC said the latest US strikes would further “tighten the lock” on the strategic waterway.
The renewed tensions have also affected global oil markets. Crude prices rose by more than $4 a barrel on Tuesday, reaching a five-week high.
Trump has meanwhile dismissed the prospect of another ceasefire, saying Iran has already been given sufficient opportunities for an agreement.
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