Tensions over Hormuz continue: Tehran says it is closed, US says ships can pass

The Strait of Hormuz, which is key to oil exports from Persian Gulf countries, is open to commercial shipping. US President Donald Trump said this today in an interview with NBC. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) also says the strait is open to ships, although Iran claims otherwise, the AFP news agency reported.

Tehran said the Strait of Hormuz was closed until further notice. It made the announcement after the US struck Iran again overnight, prompting Iran to retaliate by firing at targets across the region, including vessels in the strait. The US says its attacks were in response to earlier Iranian strikes on ships in the strait.

"Iran does not control the strait. Traffic is flowing," said CENTCOM, which coordinates US forces in the Middle East.

Iran and the US accuse each other of violating the ceasefire, while both claim that their own side is observing the terms of the agreement. In recent days, Trump has repeatedly declared the current ceasefire over because of Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

The war in the region was launched by the US and Israel on February 28 with an attack on Iran, which retaliated by striking Israel, US military bases in the region and other targets in Persian Gulf countries. The US justified the attacks as an effort to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons, while Tehran has repeatedly said its nuclear program is exclusively peaceful. In June, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding that paved the way for a peace deal. Since then, however, the ceasefire has been repeatedly violated.