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Deadlock over Hormuz as Iran, US both claim control over strait

Deadlock over Hormuz as Iran, US both claim control over strait
MENA
10 min read
12 August, 2026
US president Donald Trump claims 'total control' over Hormuz, while Iran maintains it will stay closed until its demands are met.

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These were the key events earlier on Wednesday:

•    US President Donald Trump claimed that US forces are in "total control" of the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Iran demanded a complete end to the US war and blockade, the release of its frozen assets, and a regional ceasefire before it reopens the Strait of Hormuz.

•    Qatar said negotiations between Oman and Iran over the future of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz are making major progress.

•    Yemen’s Houthis targeted a Saudi ship carrying military equipment in the Bab al-Mandeb strait and has hit several sites across Yemen.

•    Israel is continuing to launch attacks in Gaza, the West Bank, south Lebanon, and southern Syria.