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Hormuz strikes and missile fallout
In the Strait of Hormuz, officials from the Joint Maritime Information Center said unidentified projectiles struck two ships in recent days, killing at least one sailor.
“unidentified projectiles struck two ships in the Strait of Hormuz in recent days, killing at least one sailor”
The United Arab Emirates said its air defenses tracked two ballistic missiles fired from Iran, with both falling into the sea and the second inside Emirati waters.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said mediators will not return to broader U.S.-Iran talks until Iran and Oman reach their own deal on passage through the strait.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the U.S. is now begging to talk, while President Trump posted a map of the waterway labeled “new U.S. territory.”
Trump’s territory claim meets Iran’s pushback
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump posted a map on Truth Social labeling the Strait of Hormuz as “NEW U.S. Territory,” and the same graphic was subsequently posted by the official White House account on X.
Trump’s declaration followed his remarks at a political rally in New York State on Friday, where he said, “After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States,” and added, “It’s true,”.
Iranian officials rejected the idea of U.S. territorial control, with the Iranian side saying the waterway would remain closed or under Iranian authority until Washington lifts the blockade, eases related sanctions and fulfils other commitments.
The dispute also played out in competing claims about talks, as Trump wrote that there are “no talks or conversations going on, or scheduled, with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” while Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said mediators would wait for Iran and Oman to reach their own deal.
Escalation stakes: blockade, mines, and markets
The standoff intensified around the U.S. naval blockade and the status of mines in the strait, as Trump wrote that “The Naval Blockade remains in full force and effect” and that “All water mines have been removed or detonated.”
“The Naval Blockade remains in full force and effect”
The Hill described Trump’s broader posture as he threatened to “bomb the s‑‑‑ out of” Oman and said “We control it with the blockade, and I like the idea of declaring it a territory,” linking the territorial claim to control of the waterway.
In parallel, the Independent said Iran has reportedly drafted plans to target U.S. military assets in Europe, including in Bulgaria and Cyprus, should tensions escalate.
The stakes were also framed in energy and market terms, with the Hill citing that oil prices rose 2.58 percent Monday to $91.10 per barrel of Brent crude and noting that the strait typically carries 20 percent of the world’s oil supply.
