US President Donald Trump has suggested renaming the Strait of Hormuz after himself, calling it the "Trump Strait" as he continues to assert that the strategic waterway is under US control amid ongoing tensions with Iran.
Trump suggested on Wednesday, September 2, less than a day after the US carried out strikes on targets in Iran. The attacks reportedly killed at least four people, including two children, during a wedding in Sirik in southern Iran.
In a social media post, Trump asked whether the Strait of Hormuz should be renamed the "TRUMP STRAIT", adding that, like America itself, it would be "hotter" than ever.
The comments came as tensions around the strategically important waterway continued to escalate. Iran responded to the September 1 US strikes by launching missiles toward US bases in the region, contributing to a roughly 4% rise in oil prices.
Despite repeated claims from US officials that the Strait of Hormuz remains open and that millions of barrels of oil continue to pass through it each day, oil prices have remained elevated in recent weeks. Iran, meanwhile, maintains that the waterway is closed and under its control.
Saudi Arabia on Wednesday also accused Iran of attacking an oil tanker, an incident that reportedly killed two people.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a monitoring agency affiliated with the British Royal Navy, has continued to report attacks involving vessels operating in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
Rising Tensions Around the Strait of Hormuz
The latest developments come amid a conflict that has continued far beyond the six-week timeframe Trump initially predicted. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began the conflict with attacks on Iran that reportedly killed Iran's Supreme Leader earlier this year.
Although Trump has repeatedly declared victory and claimed that Iran has been militarily defeated, Tehran has continued to launch attacks against US interests across the region.
Following the September 1 US strikes, Trump warned Iran against retaliating, saying that any response would result in the US striking back at a much greater level. Within hours, however, Iran's military launched missiles and drones toward US bases in Bahrain, Jordan and Iraq.
Trump's proposal to rename the Strait of Hormuz is the latest expression of his claim of US control over the strategically vital waterway.
