US-Israel-Iran War Live News: The Strait of Hormuz has become the centre of a fresh US-Iran confrontation after President Donald Trump claimed that all water mines in the strategic shipping route had been removed or detonated, while insisting that the US naval blockade remains fully operational.
Trump also said the waterway is “open and operating” even as Iran maintains that Hormuz will stay closed until Washington meets Tehran’s demands.
The latest clash came after Trump posted a map on Truth Social showing the Strait of Hormuz as “new US territory,” reviving his earlier suggestion that Washington could seek control over the critical chokepoint. The conflicting claims from Washington and Tehran have added to uncertainty over shipping, energy supplies and the possibility of renewed negotiations.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: Trump Says All Mines Have Been Removed or Detonated
Trump focused his latest statement on the security of the Strait of Hormuz, claiming that mines in the waterway had either been removed or detonated.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said, “There are no talks or conversations going on, or scheduled, with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The naval blockade remains in full force and effect,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social network on Tuesday.
He then added, “The Hormuz Strait is open and operating. All water mines have been removed or detonated.”
Trump’s statement presents the waterway as operational from the US perspective, while Iran continues to describe the strait as closed until Washington fulfils conditions agreed during an earlier interim arrangement.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: US Naval Blockade Remains in Force Despite Trump’s ‘Open’ Claim
Trump’s comments contain two key messages: Washington says the Strait of Hormuz is open, but the US naval blockade remains in place.
That combination is likely to keep uncertainty high for shipping companies and energy traders. The waterway is one of the world’s most important energy routes, and any prolonged disruption can affect crude oil supplies, tanker movements and global prices.
The latest US position also signals that Washington does not consider the removal of mines enough to end its military pressure on Iran.
Trump has repeatedly argued that the US now has significant control over the waterway because of the blockade. On Monday, he suggested that formally declaring the strait US territory could be a good idea.
“I think it’s a great idea. I mean, we control it with the blockade. I like the idea of declaring it a territory. We have total control over the Strait. Now, they can be a nuisance; they can put a mine in the water, and people don’t like having mines hit their billion-dollar ships. But the blockade has been very effective. Now, maybe that will stop, or maybe it’ll open up even further, but we’re taking out millions of barrels of oil a week if you look at the kind of numbers that we’re doing,” Trump said.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: Trump Posts Map Calling Strait of Hormuz ‘New US Territory’
Trump’s claim about the mines came shortly after he posted a map appearing to show the Strait of Hormuz as “new US territory.”
The move renewed his earlier comments about taking control of the strategic waterway. Trump had already suggested on Friday that he could declare the strait US territory, prompting Iran to reject the idea and insist that the waterway would remain Iranian.
On Tuesday, Trump’s map again put sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz at the centre of the US-Iran dispute. International reports described the post as a provocative escalation as negotiations between the two sides showed little sign of progress.
Trump has previously floated territorial expansion ideas involving other countries and regions since returning to the White House in 2025, including Canada and Greenland.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: Trump Denies Iran Talks Despite Earlier Claims of Contact
Trump also made clear that he does not consider formal negotiations with Tehran to be taking place.
His statement came despite comments from his son-in-law and envoy Jared Kushner, who had said a day earlier that the US and Iran were engaged in “very positive and active conversations.”
The contrasting messages have created uncertainty about whether diplomatic contacts are continuing through unofficial channels even though Trump says there are no talks underway or scheduled. Reuters reported that there was no visible progress toward a new agreement or the restoration of normal oil transit through Hormuz.
The breakdown follows the expiration of 60 days connected to an interim US-Iran understanding reached in June. The arrangement had aimed to create space for broader negotiations and a reopening of the strategic waterway, but the two sides failed to reach a lasting settlement.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: Iran Says Strait of Hormuz Will Stay Closed?
Iran has rejected Washington’s position and continues to link the reopening of Hormuz to US concessions.
Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tuesday that the strait would not reopen until the United States fulfilled commitments Tehran says were part of the earlier agreement.
“I want to state clearly that the Strait of Hormuz will not be opened until the American commitments stipulated in the memorandum of understanding… are implemented,” Ghalibaf said in a speech broadcast on state television.
Ghalibaf identified several Iranian demands, including the removal of the US naval blockade, the lifting of oil sanctions and the unfreezing of Iranian assets held abroad.
Iran has therefore rejected Trump’s description of Hormuz as open and operating, creating a direct contradiction between the two sides over the current status of the waterway.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: Iran Warns of Stronger Response If Conflict Escalates
Ghalibaf also issued a warning that Tehran could respond more forcefully if the conflict continues.
“ready to inflict an even more crushing defeat on the enemy, proportionate to its actions and advances”.
His comments underline the growing gap between Washington and Tehran, with neither side showing signs of accepting the other’s main conditions.
The United States continues to maintain military and economic pressure on Iran, while Tehran insists that sanctions and the naval blockade must be addressed before it will fully reopen the strategic waterway.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: Why the ‘All Mines Removed’ Claim Matters
Trump’s statement about the mines is significant because naval mines can pose a serious threat to commercial vessels and military ships operating through narrow waterways.
By saying that all mines have been removed or detonated, Trump is attempting to reassure shipping interests that the physical threat from underwater explosives has been dealt with. However, the broader dispute remains unresolved because Iran continues to reject the US position on the blockade and the status of the strait.
The two governments also disagree over whether normal maritime traffic has actually resumed. Trump says the waterway is open and operating, while Iranian officials continue to say it will remain closed until Washington meets Tehran’s conditions.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: Strait of Hormuz Dispute Keeps Oil Markets on Edge
The continuing uncertainty around Hormuz is also affecting global energy markets.
The strait is a major route for international oil shipments, so prolonged restrictions or fears of further military escalation can quickly push crude prices higher. Oil futures rose on Tuesday as investors assessed the lack of progress in US-Iran negotiations and the continuing risks to energy supplies.
The dispute therefore extends beyond the US and Iran. Any prolonged disruption could affect oil-importing countries, tanker operators, refiners and consumers across global markets.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: What Happens Next in the US-Iran Standoff?
The immediate focus will remain on whether the United States and Iran can reopen a diplomatic channel and reach an agreement over the Strait of Hormuz.
For now, Washington says no talks are underway and that its naval blockade remains active. Tehran, meanwhile, says it will not reopen the waterway until the US lifts the blockade, removes sanctions and addresses other demands.
Trump’s “all water mines have been removed or detonated” claim adds another layer to the dispute, but it does not resolve the central disagreement over who controls access to the Strait of Hormuz.
