Washington, 11 August (H.S.): US President Donald Trump has claimed that the Strait of Hormuz is currently under the sole control of the US Navy, asserting that the American blockade remains fully effective.

Speaking at an event at the White House, Trump said, “Right now, only the US Navy has control over the Strait of Hormuz. Our blockade is foolproof. It is like a wall of steel. We have 100 per cent control over the strait.”

According to a Gulf News report, Trump also claimed that Iran had been financially devastated by the conflict and was struggling to pay its troops. He further alleged that inflation in Iran had reached 300 per cent.

Trump said the United States had cleared naval mines from the strait and that the waterway was now open to non-Iranian vessels. However, under the blockade, ships are not being permitted to enter Iranian ports, while other commercial shipping continues to operate.

The US blockade was first imposed in April 2026 but was temporarily lifted under an interim agreement in mid-June. It was reinstated in mid-July following attacks on vessels. Meanwhile, US Central Command has reported the deployment of more than 20 warships in the region and the rerouting of dozens of commercial vessels, with recent figures putting the number at around 55 by early August.

US Central Command has described the Strait of Hormuz as a critical and highly sensitive maritime route for global energy supplies. Trump's latest remarks came amid the ongoing US naval blockade targeting maritime traffic travelling to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas.

Iran has challenged the US assertion of control over the waterway and has called for the strait to be fully reopened as a condition for restoring normal maritime movement.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar