Donald Trump risks more fury from Iran with bombshell Strait of Hormuz claim

Donald Trump has risked another furious response from Iran after seemingly once again suggesting his wish to make the Strait of Homuz part of US territory. Posting on Truth Social, the US President shared a map highlighting the strait with a caption reading "New U.S. Territory".

This follows previous remarks in which he claimed he would be "declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States" soon. During an event in Long Island on Friday, Mr Trump said: "Pretty soon I'll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States. We have to blockade. No ships get through unless we want them to." Speaking to a cheering crowd, Mr Trump also said Iran had been "very badly defeated".

Iran hit back at these comments. Major General Amir Hatami said: "Joking about such remarks is a major mistake, because this is Iran, and it has defenders who will break your legs."

Hatami also added US forces would no longer be permitted to enter the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman or the Strait of Hormuz.

On June 17, Tehran and Washington signed a memorandum of understanding, pledging to a 60-day ceasefire, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending the US blockade, but peace talks with Iran remained deadlocked and the 60-day US-Iran ceasefire expired on Monday (August 17).

Last weekend, traffic through the strait nearly came to a standstill following attacks on tankers, with only five commodity vessels passing through the strategic waterway on Saturday.

Mr Trump has previously dismissed Iran’s claims to control the strategic Strait of Hormuz waterway as "their usual blather".

Meanwhile, Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, also responded to the US President's outlandish claims, insisting Tehran would not ⁠be intimidated by the US and they would control when the Strait of Hormuz is opened or closed.

"Iran will never allow this", he said.