U.S. Central Command said commercial traffic continues through the Strait of Hormuz despite Iran’s declaration that the waterway is closed, while President Donald Trump said American forces launched another major round of strikes after Tehran attacked shipping in the region.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
WASHINGTON — U.S. Central Command said Sunday that vessels are continuing to move through the Strait of Hormuz despite Iranian claims that the strategic waterway has been shut amid renewed military exchanges between Washington and Tehran.
CENTCOM rejected assertions by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and a newly created Iranian maritime authority that foreign-owned ships could no longer pass through the strait.
“The Strait of Hormuz is open to all vessels seeking to lawfully transit the international waterway,” CENTCOM said in a social media statement. “U.S. forces are positioned and prepared to ensure that freedom of navigation remains available despite unwarranted Iranian aggression, harassment, threats, and arbitrary declarations. Iran does not control the strait. Traffic is flowing.”
The command issued a second statement directly disputing the IRGC’s claim of authority over the waterway.
“Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz. It remains an international waterway. U.S. forces are positioned and prepared to keep it that way,” CENTCOM said.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the wider ocean. Under normal conditions, roughly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil supply passes through the narrow maritime corridor, making any disruption a significant concern for international energy markets and commercial shipping.
Iran’s so-called Persian Gulf Strait Authority, an organization established during the U.S.–Iran conflict earlier this year, said passage was not currently possible because of U.S. military movements in the region, according to state-run PressTV.
“As soon as stability and calm are restored, all requests will be reviewed according to scheduling and the necessary permits will be issued,” the Iranian organization said.
CENTCOM’s declaration that traffic continued came after American forces carried out another wave of strikes against approximately 140 military targets inside Iran.
The targets included missile and drone launch locations, ammunition storage sites, communications equipment and other military facilities. U.S. officials said the operation was intended to reduce Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping and lawful passage through the strait.
The latest strikes followed Iranian attacks on commercial vessels operating in the region.
President Donald Trump said July 10 that a temporary ceasefire established under a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran was effectively over, although he continued to leave open the possibility of further negotiations.
Appearing Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Trump described the scale of the latest American response.
The United States “bombed the hell out of them last night,” Trump said.
He accused Iranian officials of breaking an agreement shortly after leaving negotiations.
“They’re very, very evil and sick people,” Trump said. “We had meetings with them. They agreed to a deal yesterday, a perfect deal for us. No nuclear, no this, no that, no nothing. They gave up everything. And then after that, they left the room. And then within an hour, they launched a drone at a ship.”
Iran responded by striking neighboring countries that host U.S. military personnel or facilities, according to statements from officials in Tehran carried by state-run media.
The IRGC also claimed Sunday that it attacked American logistics support centers and refueling sites used by U.S. forces across the region. The U.S. military had not confirmed those claims.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of Iran’s parliament and one of Tehran’s principal negotiators, warned early Sunday that Iran would no longer accept what it described as unequal agreements.
“The era of one-sided deals is OVER,” Ghalibaf wrote on X. “We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking.”
The dueling statements left the Strait of Hormuz at the center of the widening confrontation.
Iran maintained that passage required its approval and was temporarily unavailable, while the United States said no single nation controls the international waterway and that American forces were prepared to preserve lawful maritime access.
CENTCOM said vessels continued to transit the strait despite the Iranian declaration and renewed attacks in the region.
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