Donald Trump has been sent a chilling warning by Iran as fury erupts over America’s military operations in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has accused the US of violating its ceasefire agreement, with Mr Trump’s ‘Project Freedom’ operation in full force in the vital shipping route.
Parliamentary speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf said that a “new equation” for the strait is “in the process of being solidified”. He added: “We know full well that the continuation of the status quo is intolerable for America; while we have not even begun yet.” He has been viewed as one of the key negotiators for Iran in peace talks with the US.
Over the past 24 hours, tensions between the United States and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz have intensified sharply, with both sides issuing threats and reporting strikes on vessels, small craft, and nearby infrastructure.
US officials say their forces destroyed several Iranian small boats that attempted to disrupt commercial shipping under Project Freedom, the escort mission operating in the strait, with reports differing on whether six or seven vessels were hit.
They also reported that two US-flagged merchant ships passed through the area safely under Navy protection, a claim Iran disputes.
President Donald Trump warned that any attack on US vessels would result in Iran being, in his words, “blown off the face of the earth,” signalling a readiness to escalate. US Central Command described its overall posture as defensive, focused on providing a “thick layer of protection” for ships moving through the waterway.
Iran is reported to have launched missiles, drones and small boats toward vessels moving through the strait under US escort, though Tehran disputes Washington’s account of the clashes.
Iranian officials warned that any foreign military presence approaching the waterway would be met with force, insisting that control of the strait is Iran’s “legitimate right.”
At the same time, Tehran denied targeting US or UAE ships, claiming that some of the vessels struck by US fire were civilian boats and that casualties resulted.
Iran’s foreign minister added that there is “no military solution” to the crisis and cautioned both the United States and the UAE against being drawn into a deeper conflict.
