US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, September 2, suggested renaming the Strait of Hormuz the “Trump Strait”, claiming the United States now controls the strategic waterway as fighting with Iran continued to intensify.
“Now that we have it under U.S.A. control, should we change the name Hormuz Strait to TRUMP STRAIT??? Like America itself, it would be ‘hotter’ than ever before!” Trump wrote on social media.
The proposal follows a series of geographical renaming suggestions by Trump and comes after he claimed US sovereignty over the strait, which Tehran has effectively shut for six months. The White House later shared a map of the Gulf showing the waterway labelled “Trump Strait”.
Iran reports 18 deaths as conflict intensifies
Iran said overnight US attacks killed 18 people and wounded at least 108 others, according to state broadcaster IRIB, citing Health Minister Mohammad-Reza Zafarghandi.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council secretary Mohsen Rezaei, meanwhile, warned Washington that Tehran would pursue a “new strategy” in the Middle East war. In a post on X, he said Iran’s approach on the battlefield, in diplomacy and in confronting the economic blockade would “shatter” US foundations.
Separately, Iran’s chief negotiator and Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf described the United States as a “source of regional insecurity” during a meeting with Hamas’s head of communications, according to the Fars news agency.
Ghalibaf also called on Washington to honour commitments under a memorandum of understanding signed in June, while maintaining that Iran was not rejecting negotiations.
Iran expands ship blacklist, arrests 11 over fuel smuggling
Iran has added 11 ships to its list of vessels deemed non-compliant with its navigation rules for the Strait of Hormuz, bringing the total number of blacklisted vessels to 56.
The vessels could face fines, confiscation or detention if they attempt to sail through the waterway. Tehran had announced on August 24 that it had blacklisted 45 tankers accused of breaking its navigation rules and warned it would act against vessels transferring cargo.
Shipping industry sources said the latest update was made within the previous 24 hours. Iranian officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Separately, Iranian authorities said 11 foreign nationals were arrested on suspicion of attempting to smuggle fuel out of the country. State television said border guards, acting on intelligence about smuggling attempts involving a tugboat in Gulf waters, discovered 382,000 litres of diesel fuel during a search.
The arrests come as Iran faces difficulties importing enough fuel to meet domestic demand amid a US naval blockade of its ports.
Israeli strike kills one in south Lebanon
An Israeli drone strike killed one person and wounded another in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh, according to the state-run National News Agency.
Israel said Hezbollah had overnight launched two explosive drones towards its soldiers in the Ali al-Taher Ridge area, with no troop casualties reported. The Israeli military said it later struck Hezbollah infrastructure in the Nabatieh area in response.
UAE condemns attacks on Bahrain, Jordan and Iraq’s Kurdish region
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) condemned what it described as hostile Iranian attacks targeting Bahrain, Jordan and Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the attacks constituted a “flagrant violation of sovereignty” and reiterated the UAE’s support for measures aimed at safeguarding the security and stability of the affected countries.
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