President Donald Trump has declared the Strait of Hormuz as US territory in a post on Truth Social.
Sharing a crude map of the region with a large blue circle over Hormuz, the post declared the vital shipping route as “NEW US territory”.
“The Naval Blockade remains in full force and effect”, Trump said. “The Hormuz Strait is open and operating. All water mines have been removed or detonated”.
However, data shared by analytics company Kpler with The Independent shows that only ten vessels passed through on Monday, compared to 130 to 140 before the war.
Trump earlier confirmed that there are “no talks or conversations going on, or scheduled” with Iran.
US Special Envoy Jared Kushner, who is also Trump’s son-in-law, recently told Fox News Iran is ”not showing any interest” in a deal that is in the Trump administration’s best interest.
Iran had earlier said the shipping route is to remain closed until the US meets the conditions agreed in an interim deal, according to Iran’s top negotiator Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf in comments shared by state media.
Conditions include lifting the marine blockade and sanctions as well as freeing Iran’s frozen assets.
Key Points
- Trump declares Strait of Hormuz as US territory
- Strait of Hormuz to remain closed until US meets deal conditions, says Ghalibaf
- Trump threatened to bomb Oman because he's unhappy with country's deal with Iran: officials
- US president threatening to bomb Oman, but why?
- Trump looms over negotiations to reopen Strait of Hormuz
US military official blames Biden administration after reports of dwindling weapons stockpile
05:31 , Rachel Dobkin
US Under Secretary of War Michael Duffey has blamed the Biden administration following reports of the military’s dwindling weapons stockpile.
As the Iran war drags on, there have been multiple reports of the US military burning through long-range missiles and interceptors. US President Donald Trump has maintained that the military has “massive amounts” of munitions.
“We would always like to have more weapons than we have right now, which is why we are so focused on engaging with our industrial partners, entering these deals, and ensuring that we ramp the production of these key missiles as quickly as possible”, Duffey told Fox News.
“We are making up for lost time. The Biden Administration did not deliver — they did not focus on developing the industrial base that we need in order to ensure that we have munitions for the foreseeable future. President Trump and [US Defense] Secretary [Pete] Hegseth are delivering”, he added.
Oil prices rise for a fourth consecutive day
05:20 , Shweta Sharma
Oil prices extended gains for a fourth consecutive session on Wednesday, with Brent crude futures up 26 cents, or 0.29 per cent, at $91.28 a barrel as of 0.04am GMT.
US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 37 cents to $85.31 a barrel.
The gains came after prices closed on Tuesday at their highest levels since 24 July, as fading hopes of a peace deal between the US and Iran fuelled concerns over supplies. Investors were also weighing conflicting statements from Washington and Tehran over the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
US envoy for Syria says Israeli strikes on airbase ‘unnecessary escalation’
05:01 , Shweta Sharma
Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria and Iraq, said on X that Washington was very concerned by Israel’s bombing of an airbase in Syria on Tuesday.
He said the confirmed Israeli airstrikes on Abu al-Duhur Airbase "constitute an unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability."
"The United States continues to believe that restraint and engagement offer the more constructive course. We encourage all parties to prioritise logical discourse over further military incidents," he added.
Syrian foreign minister Assad al-Shibani called for the attacks to stop, saying Israel should recalculate its position toward Syria because it was confronting not only Damascus, but also Syria's allies.
Israeli airstrikes hit Syrian airbase
04:45 , Shweta Sharma
Israel bombed an airbase in Syria on Tuesday, Syrian state media said, drawing condemnation from Turkey.
Syria's state-run Ekhbariya television, citing a military source, said Israel carried out eight airstrikes on the runway and storage facilities at the Abu al-Duhur base near Aleppo in northwest Syria. A separate military source and a civilian who lives near the base said there were no casualties.
The attack appeared to be Israel's first strike on Syrian government assets since March. The Turkish foreign ministry said the attacks violated Syria's territorial unity and integrity.
"We call on the international community to take a more decisive stance to end Israel's escalating aggression against Syria," it said in a statement.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said late Tuesday that Syria was on the "verge" of violating a "status quo agreed with Israel in security matters" by allowing Turkish troops to deploy at the airbase.
"Israel repeatedly warned Syria that such a deployment would pose a threat to Israel's security. Syria chose to ignore these warnings," Netanyahu's office said.
"Israel will not tolerate threats to its security," yet "would welcome a return to the status quo".
Turkey's statement did not say if its troops were at the Syrian base.
Iran calls Trump 'deluded' man after he claims Hormuz American territory
04:30 , Shweta Sharma
Iranian deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi has hit back at Donald Trump after the US president claimed the Strait of Hormuz was “open and operating” and posted a map depicting the waterway as US territory.
“Just as Trump correctly wrote the name of the eternally Persian Gulf, his delusion about the Strait of Hormuz will soon either be corrected, or we will correct the delusions of this delusional man,” Gharibabadi wrote on X.
The remarks come as Iran and Oman negotiate a deal to reopen the strategic waterway, with the Trump administration reportedly opposing parts of the proposed agreement.
Trump says US has no talks planned with Iran
03:55 , Shweta Sharma
US president Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the US has no talks planned with Iran, but insisted that the Strait of Hormuz remains “open and operating”, despite limited traffic and a reported strike on a ship leaving the waterway.
As Oman and Iran say they are nearing a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said on social media on Tuesday that the US blockade of Iranian ports remains "in full force and effect," but asserted that all water mines have been removed and that other marine traffic was free to pass.
Trump posted a map depicting the strait as US territory.
Earlier this week, Trump also threatened to bomb Oman as the country sought a deal with Iran to manage shipping traffic through the strait, two regional officials said on Tuesday.
The officials spoke a day after Trump reportedly warned that he would strike Oman if it “gets in the way”. Iran has said the waterway will not be reopened until the US meets its conditions.
Egypt says Iran-Oman agreement could open door to Iran-US deal
02:30 , Dan Haygarth
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that the Iranian-Omani deal could pave the way for Washington and Tehran to return to negotiations for a "comprehensive and permanent deal that addresses all concerns and enhances regional security and stability."
The statement came after a meeting between Egyptian foreign minister Badr Abdelatty and Omani counterpart Badr al-Busaidi. But it did not address Trump's latest threat against Oman.
The 60-day negotiating period ended this week between the U.S. and Iran with no clear end to the war in sight.
Ship traffic drops significantly in Strait of Hormuz
01:30 , Daniel Haygarth
Ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz dropped significantly last week, with confirmed crossings falling 19.5 per cent to 95 transits.
Only three vessels made it through the waterway on Sunday, according to shipping data platform Kpler.
The ships used the Iranian-designated route through the strait, with no crossings recorded through the Omani routes.
Crossings through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait increased 6.7 per cent to 254 transits, while so-called dark transits, in which ships turn off the transponders that broadcast their location, fell from 40 to 16, Kpler said.
Trump looms over negotiations to reopen Strait of Hormuz
Wednesday 19 August 2026 00:30 , Dan Haygarth
As Oman and Iran say they are nearing a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Donald Trump said on social media Tuesday that the US blockade of Iranian ports remains "in full force and effect," but asserted that all water mines have been removed and that other marine traffic was free to pass.
Trump posted a map depicting the strait as U.S. territory.
Iranian deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi appeared to respond to Trump's post.
"Just as Trump correctly wrote the name of the eternal Persian Gulf, soon his delusion regarding the Strait of Hormuz will either be corrected or we will correct the delusions of this deluded man," he wrote on X.
The Trump administration has told Oman it opposes parts of the yet-to-be-announced deal, according to officials briefed on the US position.
Those include joint Iranian and Omani management of the passage's exit route and the collection of voluntary fees from vessels, even if the money is used for security and maritime environmental protection.
The White House on Tuesday referred to Trump's remarks in the Oval Office and declined to comment further about Oman, the Associated Press reports
Recap: Trump declares Strait of Hormuz as US territory
Tuesday 18 August 2026 23:34 , Daniel Haygarth
President Donald Trump has declared the Strait of Hormuz as US territory in a new post on Truth Social.
Sharing a crude map of the region with a large blue circle over Hormuz, the picture declared the vital shipping route as “NEW US territory”.
“The Naval Blockade remains in full force and effect,” he continued. “The Hormuz Strait is open and operating. All water mines have been removed or detonated.”
However, data shared by Kpler with The Independent shows that only ten vessels passed through on Monday, compared to 130 to 140 before the outbreak of war.
Trump earlier confirmed that there are “no talks or conversations going on, or scheduled” with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Iran had earlier said the shipping route is to remain closed until the US meet the conditions agreed in an interim deal, according to Iran’s top negotiator Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf in comments shared by state media.
Conditions include lifting a marine blockade and sanctions as well as freeing Iran’s frozen assets.
Trump threatened to bomb Oman because he's unhappy with country's deal with Iran, officials say
Tuesday 18 August 2026 23:12 , Dan Haygarth
Donald Trump threatened to bomb Oman because he is unhappy the country is close to a deal with Iran to manage ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, two regional officials said on Tuesday, a day after Trump leveled the threat.
The officials said the Trump administration has told Oman it is opposed to parts of the yet-to-be-announced deal, including the joint Iranian and Omani management of the exit route out of the passage that's critical to global supplies of oil and natural gas. The officials were briefed on the U.S. position and how the administration views Oman's position.
Meanwhile, a projectile hit a ship as it sailed out of the strait, and a cargo vessel was rendered a "constructive total loss" by multiple projectiles off the coast of Yemen, according to the British military's maritime monitoring agency. The defense ministry of the United Arab Emirates said two ballistic missiles were launched from Iran toward the UAE.
An Iranian official said the strait would not reopen until the United States meets Iran's conditions.
Iran says it rejects UAE statement on missile launches
Tuesday 18 August 2026 22:03 , Dan Haygarth
Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei rejected a statement by the UAE that said Iran was behind missiles launched against the Gulf country.
He said in a statement the UAE's "accusations" were "baseless."
France to expel two Iranian diplomats in coming days, foreign minister says
Tuesday 18 August 2026 21:15 , Dan Haygarth
France will expel two Iranian diplomats in the coming days in response to an incident in July involving two staff of the French embassy in Tehran.
"I had announced that this intolerable act would have consequences. And so it has. Two Iranian diplomats in France will be expelled in the very near future," foreign mMinister Jean-Noel Barrot said in a post on X.
Last month, the French ministry said the two French embassy staff had been detained and physically intimidated by Iranian security services in Tehran.
Barrot had summoned the Iranian charge d'affaires in Paris in protest following the incident on 19 July.
Barrot's comments came one day after the Iranian ministry said two French embassy employees, who were involved in July in a diplomatic dispute in Tehran, would not be allowed to return to Iran.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the two French staff had violated the Vienna Convention — which defines the rules and privileges of diplomatic missions — by engaging in activities supporting Iranian civil society.
French foreign ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said in a statement that "the Iranian authorities have chosen to make completely false accusations against our agents and to fabricate a case of interference to justify their actions."
France to expel two Iranian diplomats in coming days, foreign minister says
Tuesday 18 August 2026 21:15 , Dan Haygarth
France will expel two Iranian diplomats in the coming days in response to an incident in July involving two staff of the French embassy in Tehran.
"I had announced that this intolerable act would have consequences. And so it has. Two Iranian diplomats in France will be expelled in the very near future," foreign mMinister Jean-Noel Barrot said in a post on X.
Last month, the French ministry said the two French embassy staff had been detained and physically intimidated by Iranian security services in Tehran.
Barrot had summoned the Iranian charge d'affaires in Paris in protest following the incident on 19 July.
Barrot's comments came one day after the Iranian ministry said two French embassy employees, who were involved in July in a diplomatic dispute in Tehran, would not be allowed to return to Iran.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the two French staff had violated the Vienna Convention — which defines the rules and privileges of diplomatic missions — by engaging in activities supporting Iranian civil society.
French foreign ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said in a statement that "the Iranian authorities have chosen to make completely false accusations against our agents and to fabricate a case of interference to justify their actions."
Comment - Donald Trump has found exciting new ways to embarrass America – can this one man stop him?
Tuesday 18 August 2026 20:45 , Daniel Haygarth
Donald Trump has found exciting new ways to embarrass America
Israeli airstrikes hit Syrian airbase, drawing Turkish condemnation
Tuesday 18 August 2026 20:15 , Dan Haygarth
Israel bombed an airbase in Syria on Tuesday, Syrian state media said, carrying out what appeared to be its first strike on Syrian government assets since March and drawing condemnation from Turkey and criticism from a US envoy who called it an "unnecessary escalation".
Syria's state-run Ekhbariya, citing a military source, said Israel carried out eight airstrikes on the runway and storage facilities at the Abu al-Duhur base, while a separate military source and a civilian who lives near the base said there were no casualties.
The Israeli military declined to comment on the strikes, while the Syrian defence ministry did not respond.
"We are deeply concerned that the confirmed Israeli airstrikes on Abu al-Duhur Airbase constitute an unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability," ambassador Tom Barrack, the US special presidential envoy for Syria and Iraq, said on X.
"The United States continues to believe that restraint and engagement offer the more constructive course. We encourage all parties to prioritize logical discourse over further military incidents," he added.
Syrian foreign minister Assad al-Shibani called for the attacks to stop, saying Israel should recalculate its position toward Syria because it faced not only Damascus, but also its allies through its strikes.
Trump is threatening to bomb Oman, but why?
Tuesday 18 August 2026 19:45 , Dan Haygarth
Explainer by the Associated Press
Oman has played a relatively low-profile role since the Iran war began, including as a mediator.
But its geography has thrust it into the uncomfortable position of negotiating with Tehran over management of the strait while facing Trump's threats.
Trump this week told Fox News reporter Trey Yingst that the U.S. would bomb Oman if it "gets in the way," using an expletive for emphasis. It's not the first such threat he's made. Oman has not commented.
Trump is not happy about the emerging Oman-Iran deal
Trump threatened Oman because he's not happy that it's close to a deal with Iran over the strait, two regional officials said Tuesday.
US-Iran negotiations have dried up.
This week ended the 60-day period that launched when the US and Iran signed an interim agreement. It had been meant to open the way for more detailed talks.
There's no sign of it being extended. Trump now says there are no planned talks with Iran.
So the only confirmed discussions happening now are between Iran and Oman about shipping on the strait.
These have been going on for weeks. Oman hasn't said much about them publicly.
Tehran says they're finalising a joint statement.
Trump has made plenty of threats against Iran. Now he's venting his frustration at Oman, too.
Now Oman is in discussions that appear to be driven by Iran, which has described the talks as aiming to "develop mechanisms to ensure safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz while respecting the sovereign rights and sovereignty of both coastal states, as well as Iran's security and national interests."
The mechanisms might include fees.
How the Iran war is forcing families to choose between schooling and survival
Tuesday 18 August 2026 19:15 , Maira Butt
Sou Sreynich dreams of becoming a teacher. But she knows she's far behind.
The 13-year-old first entered a classroom at 10, an age when most Cambodian children already have been in school for years. Her mother waited until she was old enough to swim, fearing the boat to school could capsize — a decision familiar to many parents on Cambodia's Tonle Sap, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia.
Now, the price of gasoline has spiked because of the Iran war, an additional burden. Unlike outright school closures during Covid-19, the Iran war’s impact on education is less visible.
How the Iran war is forcing families to choose between schooling and survival
From America’s ‘oldest ally’ in the Middle East to a bombing target: Trump is trying to wreck the US-Omani relationship
Tuesday 18 August 2026 18:45 , Maira Butt
On Monday, President Donald Trump made yet another unprecedented and violent threat against a country in the Middle East.
But this time the target of his ire was unexpected. Oman, an American ally for almost 200 years, would be bombed “to s***” if it interfered with a potential US-Iran peace deal, Trump told a FOX News reporter.
It was not the first time that Trump had threatened Oman, previously warning the country in May to “behave” or face potential military action.
Throughout the US-Israeli war in Iran, Muscat has endured retaliatory strikes across its ports and energy infrastructure but has nevertheless taken part in negotiations towards a resolution.
How Trump wrecked relationship with America’s ‘oldest ally’ in the Middle East
Watch: Netanyahu puts NYC mayor Mamdani alongside Iran’s Ayatollah on enemies list
Tuesday 18 August 2026 18:15 , Maira Butt
UAE says Iran launched two missiles at it
Tuesday 18 August 2026 18:15 , Dan Haygarth
The UAE's defence ministry said on Tuesday that it detected two ballistic missiles launched from Iran against the Gulf country. It said one fell inside territorial waters, while another fell outside, and stressed the UAE's readiness to deal with any threats.
There was no immediate comment from Iran.
Earlier on Tuesday, the UAE's interior ministry sent a phone alert stating that the situation was safe and people should resume normal activities after an earlier alert warning of a missile threat.
US oil reserves are so low amid Trump’s Iran war the caverns holding them could be damaged
Tuesday 18 August 2026 17:45 , Maira Butt
America’s emergency oil stockpile has dropped to its lowest level in 40 years, with experts warning that ongoing withdrawals for the war with Iran could permanently damage the underground caverns holding the crude.
The warnings arrive as American drivers face unprecedented gas prices for late summer. Today’s AAA National Average for a gallon of regular gasoline sits at $4.07, marking the highest levels on record for mid-August.
Concerns over the physical limits of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve center on the unique geology of its storage network. The crude is held within 60 salt caverns thousands of feet below ground at four sites across Texas and Louisiana.
To extract crude, operators pump fresh water into the bottom of a cavern to force oil up to pipeline intakes. However, petroleum engineering professor Siddharth Misra of Texas A&M University told CNBC that repeated rapid drawdowns wash away salt walls.
Trump’s Iran war leaves US oil reserves so low caverns risk damage
Trump's crude Hormuz map includes parts of Iran
Tuesday 18 August 2026 17:28 , Sam Rkaina
Donald Trump has posted a map identifying the Strait of Hormuz as “new U.S. territory”, echoing a threat he made last week under the continued pressure of the key waterway’s contested nature.
In a captionless post on Truth Social, the president circled the strait and labeled it “new U.S. territory.”
U.S. forces, however, have been unable to guarantee safe passage for ships through the strait thus far and the circle depicted on Trump’s map actually includes quite a bit of Iranian land on the northern borders of the strait.
That would imply a partial U.S. occupation of Iranian soil.
Click here for the full story.
How a vague clause in Trump’s peace deal led to anarchy in the Strait of Hormuz
Tuesday 18 August 2026 17:15 , Maira Butt
Both sides blame the other for violations of a ceasefire agreement.
The Strait of Hormuz is made up of two shipping corridors. One is a southern passage that runs along the Omani coast, which was traditionally used for inbound ships.
The second lane, generally for outbound vessels, runs along the Iranian coast. Throughout the conflict, the corridors have been used for both inbound and outbound commercial traffic.
In the days leading up to Iran’s attacks this week, tensions had been mounting as commercial traffic appeared to increase through the route along the Omani coast.
Iran said that any ships not using its approved route would face an “immediate and powerful response” and the IRGC has used various techniques, including small boats “swarming” commercial vessels.
How a vague clause in Trump’s peace deal led to anarchy in the Strait of Hormuz
Strait of Hormuz to remain closed until US meets deal conditions, says Ghalibaf
Tuesday 18 August 2026 17:13 , Maira Butt
The Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the US is able to meet the conditions agreed in an interim deal, Iran’s top negotiator Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf has said.
The conditions include lifting a marine blockade and sanctions as well as freeing Iran’s frozen assets.
President Trump, meanwhile, has continued to insist the key shipping route is open and operating
