US President Donald Trump has said American forces are likely to remain in control of the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to rise and efforts to revive a temporary peace agreement show little progress. In a post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, Trump claimed that the United States has “total control” over the waterway and suggested that Washington intends to maintain its presence there. He described the ongoing naval blockade as a “wall of steel” and said Iran had no effective means of challenging it. Trump also claimed that Iran’s military strength had been severely weakened, alleging that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had been “decimated.” He further described Iran’s economy as collapsing, pointing to high inflation and accusing Tehran of relying on rhetoric rather than meaningful action. However, an Iranian source said there had been no progress in efforts to restore an interim agreement reached in June. The agreement had called for an immediate halt to military operations and provided a 60-day period, which could be extended by mutual agreement, for both sides to negotiate a longer-term settlement. The arrangement quickly deteriorated. Trump later declared the agreement over, while Iran described it as suspended. Tehran has accused Washington of failing to meet its commitments, including lifting restrictions on Iranian ports and releasing frozen Iranian financial assets. The United States, meanwhile, has accused Iran of failing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian source said mediators were discussing the possibility of Washington returning to the interim agreement and establishing a timetable for fulfilling its commitments, but no progress had been made. Tensions have increased further following fresh attacks on shipping in the region. The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, is one of the world’s most important energy routes and previously carried around one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. Concerns over disruptions have contributed to a sharp rise in oil prices since the conflict began. Shipping traffic through the strait also dropped significantly. Data showed that only eight vessels were tracked passing through the waterway on Tuesday, the lowest daily figure in about a week. Ship operators have increasingly avoided the route because of security concerns. Additional attacks were reported at other major maritime chokepoints. In the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea, four crew members were reportedly killed when an Iran-backed Houthi attack targeted a small cargo vessel. Two Yemeni rescuers were also reported killed. The US military separately said an American Navy helicopter fired two missiles to disable the steering system of a Panama-flagged cargo ship. US Central Command said the vessel had ignored repeated warnings and violated the naval blockade of Iranian ports. Maritime sources said the ship was struck near Pakistan while travelling toward the Gulf of Oman. The latest attacks have increased concerns about global energy supplies. Brent crude prices continued to rise, while investors reacted to growing uncertainty over the possibility of a quick end to the conflict. Iran has warned that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed unless Washington accepts its conditions for ending the war. At the same time, Trump has continued to alternate between threatening further escalation and suggesting that a peace agreement could be reached soon. With military tensions, attacks on commercial shipping and diplomatic disagreements continuing, prospects for a swift resolution appear increasingly uncertain.

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that discussions between the United States and Iran have been encouraging, but warned that Washington is prepared to launch additional strikes if Tehran fails to reach a new agreement. Trump said he would prefer to avoid further military action, particularly attacks on Iran’s civilian infrastructure such as bridges and power plants. However, he stressed that military action remains an option if diplomatic efforts collapse. “It’s a very delicate balance,” Trump said, adding that Iran understands the consequences of refusing to negotiate. According to the US president, the current position of the United States is strong, and Tehran is aware that Washington is prepared to act if no agreement is reached. Despite the warnings, Trump described the recent diplomatic contacts with Iran as “very good talks.” Trump’s comments came ahead of his scheduled meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. The meeting follows joint US-Israeli military operations against Iranian targets earlier this year and is expected to focus on regional security and Iran’s nuclear programme. During the interview, Trump addressed reports that Netanyahu intends to discuss intelligence concerning Pickaxe Mountain, an underground fortified site believed to be connected to Iran’s nuclear activities. The facility is located near one of the country’s major nuclear installations and has drawn increasing international attention. Trump dismissed suggestions that he needed Netanyahu’s briefing on the matter, saying he was already fully informed about developments at the site. Referring to Netanyahu by his nickname “Bibi,” Trump said the Israeli leader wanted the United States to remain actively engaged. He added that if negotiations with Iran fail, the US would have no hesitation in targeting the facility, claiming it could be destroyed “very easily.” Meanwhile, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed that US military aircraft have been operating from Israeli bases during recent strikes on Iran. In comments reported by Al Jazeera, Katz said American aircraft and refuelling planes departed from Israel to carry out attacks. He also accused Iran of directing its missile attacks at multiple countries while avoiding direct strikes against Israel. On the same day, Iran announced that Bushehr Airport in the country’s southwest has been rendered inoperable following US airstrikes. Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said officials visited the airport and found extensive destruction, including a newly refurbished aircraft that was reportedly destroyed by a direct missile strike. She described the airport as effectively out of service. Mohajerani also said that airports in Iranshahr, Semnan and Bandar Abbas sustained damage during the attacks. In addition, the Bushehr Meteorological Centre was reportedly hit, while widespread destruction affected civilian infrastructure, including fishing boats, tourism businesses and other private property. According to the Iranian government, the strikes damaged 12 bridges, two tunnels, the main railway station in Bandar Abbas and several additional bridges in southern and northeastern Iran. Mohajerani further claimed that 350 government employees were killed during the conflict. Separately, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held telephone conversations with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi on Monday evening. According to a statement released by Iran’s Foreign Ministry, the discussions focused on regional developments, the security of the Strait of Hormuz and the importance of strengthening diplomatic cooperation to promote stability in the Gulf. The talks came shortly after Saudi Arabia announced it had intercepted drones launched by Iran-backed groups operating in Iraq.