Trump Proposes Renaming Strait of Hormuz as US-Iran Strikes Intensify, Mentions New Name
- President Donald Trump floated the idea of renaming the Strait of Hormuz the 'Trump Strait' after the US launched fresh strikes on Iranian targets
- Iran's Foreign Ministry claimed US attacks hit civilian areas across four provinces, including a wedding ceremony that left people dead and injured
- Ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz collapsed from 138 vessels daily before the war to just six on Tuesday, with a Saudi tanker also attacked
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President Donald Trump has proposed renaming the Strait of Hormuz the "Trump Strait," suggesting the US now holds authority over the critical waterway as military exchanges with Iran 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 said on September 2, 2026.
Source: Getty Images
The suggestion came a day after the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced a fresh wave of strikes targeting Iranian military positions, including air defence sites, radar systems, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities, and communications infrastructure tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Iran claims civilian areas were hit
According to TIME, Iran's Foreign Ministry pushed back on Wednesday, insisting the US had struck civilian infrastructure across the provinces of Khuzestan, Sistan and Baluchestan, Hormozgan, and Kerman. The ministry said a wedding ceremony in Kuhestak, Sirik County, was among the sites hit, resulting in deaths and injuries.
CENTCOM spokesperson Navy Captain Tim Hawkins disputed the claims in a statement to TIME: "We are aware of reports, which originated from Iranian state media. The U.S. military never targets civilians, unlike the IRGC."
The IRGC said it launched overnight retaliatory strikes on US bases in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain, as well as an additional facility in Iraq.
Strait of Hormuz traffic collapses
The latest military exchanges have severely disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Data from commodities analytics firm Kpler, shared with TIME, showed only six vessels crossed the Strait on Tuesday, down sharply from 19 on Friday and well below the 138 ships that typically transited the waterway daily before the conflict began on February 28.
On Wednesday, UK Maritime Operations (UKMTO) reported an attack on a tanker in the Strait that left two crew members dead. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry confirmed that Iran had targeted a Saudi tanker in the waterway.
The renewed fighting follows a roughly month-long pause in hostilities. The latest round was triggered after both sides adopted conflicting interpretations of a Memorandum of Understanding. On Sunday, the US military destroyed two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island that it said were preparing to fire naval mines into the Strait.
Trump's proposal to rename the waterway is consistent with a pattern the President has followed in other geopolitical disputes, having previously floated renaming Lake Ontario "Lake America" during tensions with Canada. Washington has also escalated financial pressure on Tehran through tighter sanctions alongside the ongoing military campaign, with officials issuing what they describe as "economic D-Day" warnings.
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Saudi Arabia condemns Iran over supertanker attack
Legit.ng earlier reported that Saudi Arabia has formally condemned Iran over an attack on the Saudi supertanker Sidr that left two Filipino sailors dead after the vessel was struck by projectiles while passing through the Strait of Hormuz on August 31.
Source: Legit.ng
