Updated

US President Donald Trump said on August 15 that he would "pretty soon" declare the Strait of Hormuz US territory once Iran is defeated, framing the move as a consequence of the ongoing US-Iran war. He paired the pledge with a vow to hit Iran hard economically, urging Americans to tolerate somewhat higher gasoline prices as the price of the "great service" of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Trump also brushed aside reported concerns about conditions aboard a US aircraft carrier deployed in the region. The Strait of Hormuz is the chokepoint for roughly a fifth of global oil shipments, and any assertion of US sovereignty over it would be legally unprecedented and highly contentious with Iran and neighboring Gulf states. The remarks signal Washington's intent to combine military pressure with tightened sanctions and control of shipping lanes rather than move toward de-escalation.