Hormuz Tensions and Trump’s ‘We Control the Strait’ Claim Raise Navigation and Negotiation Risks
Explosions near Iran’s Qeshm Island were described by Iranian media as interceptions of “hostile targets” at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz, even as President Donald Trump said the waterway is “sort of open right now” and claimed the U.S. controls it. With Oman reported to have agreed to a framework for a temporary deal on Hormuz and nuclear talks, the waterway is once again the hinge between live military moves and fragile diplomacy.
The Strait of Hormuz is back at the center of a dangerous overlap between live military maneuvers and high‑stakes diplomacy. On Thursday evening, Iranian media reported explosions near Qeshm Island at the entrance to the strait, attributing them to the interception of “hostile enemy targets,” while U.S. President Donald Trump publicly claimed the United States “controls” the waterway and suggested it is “sort of open right now” under an emerging deal. Iran’s Tasnim news agency said at around 21:40 local time two explosions heard on Qeshm were caused by Iranian forces intercepting unspecified hostile targets at the approaches to Hormuz. Citing unnamed sources, the outlet said the intercepts were carried…
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