Updated

The head of Iran's Basij paramilitary force, Hossein Taeb, said on Thursday 13 August 2026 that the Strait of Hormuz is "under Iran's control and management", according to the Fars news agency. The statement came a day after US President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that the waterway was under "total control" of the United States, as the two sides trade competing claims over the vital oil chokepoint through which a large share of global crude and LNG shipments passes. The rival assertions underline how the confrontation between Washington and Tehran has extended to the sea lanes of the Gulf, with shipping traffic and insurance costs exposed to any escalation. In a further development, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States could sustain its naval blockade against Iran "indefinitely", signalling that Washington intends to maintain maritime pressure on Tehran for an open-ended period rather than as a short-term measure. The blockade, combined with Iran's counterclaim of control over the strait, raises the prospect of direct incidents between US and Iranian naval forces in confined waters. Iranian officials have repeatedly warned that attempts to restrict their shipping could prompt retaliation affecting traffic through the strait.