US President Donald Trump stated on Friday, Aug. 14, that he intends to declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory following the conclusion of the war with Iran.
Accoding to Clash Report, speaking at the David S. Mack Training and Intelligence Center in Garden City, Trump said the US currently controls the waterway.
“After we finish defeating Iran, which is currently suffering a crushing defeat, I will fairly soon declare the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States,” Trump said. “Essentially, that is exactly what it is. We have established a blockade. No ship will pass unless we want it to.”
Reuters reported that commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz nearly halted on Friday following attacks on two additional vessels. The US government indicated it is prepared to maintain the maritime blockade indefinitely.
A senior Iranian source stated that negotiations to extend a June ceasefire agreement yielded no results. Following the breakdown of the ceasefire, Iran resumed attacks on vessels it claims are attempting to navigate the strait without authorization from Tehran.
Iranian demands and prior negotiations
The escalation follows a list of demands issued by Iran for reopening the strait.
Mohammad Bagher Zolqadr, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, stated that Tehran requires the immediate lifting of the US naval blockade, the withdrawal of US military forces, an end to hostilities, financial compensation, and access to frozen assets.
On Aug. 2, Trump announced a temporary suspension of planned US military strikes to allow for diplomatic negotiations. He stipulated the immediate opening of the strait as a primary condition for any agreement.
Impact on US weapons stockpiles
The ongoing conflict has resulted in a depletion of US military stockpiles, affecting security commitments in other regions. The US has utilized over 1,500 Patriot interceptor missiles in the Middle East, reducing its current inventory to fewer than 1,700 units.
The shortage of Patriot systems, along with ATACMS and Precision Strike Missiles, has delayed arms shipments to partners in Europe and Asia, affecting Ukraine’s air defense capabilities against Russian attacks. In the Indo-Pacific, the Pentagon redeployed air defense units, naval destroyers, and Tomahawk missiles from allied nations to support the Middle East campaign.
In response, the US Department of Defense directed defense contractors to accelerate production. Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg issued a letter to leading defense companies requiring plans within 21 days to expand manufacturing capacity for critical weapons.