Iran Trump's move exacerbates the situation in the Strait of Hormuz
The situation in the blocked Strait of Hormuz is worsening following a new initiative by US President Donald Trump.
04.05.2026, 16:24
SDA
According to the US Navy, it has begun freeing ships that Trump has ordered to be freed as part of the initiative entitled "Project Freedom". US destroyers entered the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, the Centcom regional command responsible for the Middle East announced on the X portal. Two US-flagged merchant ships had been able to leave the sea area. There was initially no independent confirmation.
The Iranian armed forces had previously claimed to have prevented US naval vessels from entering the Strait of Hormuz.
USA denies missile hit
There were also reports from Iran that two Iranian missiles had hit a US warship. The USA denied this information and emphasized that no naval vessel had been hit.
The Iranian military leadership had threatened the US with retaliation following Trump's announcement to come to the aid of ships. "We warn that any foreign force, especially the aggressive American army, will be attacked if it intends to approach and enter the Strait of Hormuz," said the commander of the central military command, Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi, according to the Iranian news agency Tasnim.
Oil prices continue to rise
Trump's move did not bring the hoped-for relief for oil prices. The price of a barrel (159 liters) of Brent crude for July delivery rose by 1.54 percent to 109.84 US dollars. Traders doubt that the US plan will work. Talks between Washington and Tehran on an end to the war are considered deadlocked. Last week, oil prices rose to their highest level since 2022.
Before the war, tankers transported around a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has controlled the strait since the start of the war and has practically brought shipping traffic to a standstill with threats and attacks. For its part, the USA has imposed a naval blockade on ships entering or leaving Iranian ports.
Report: No escorts by US warships currently planned
Trump said that countries from all over the world had asked the USA to help them free their ships, he said. However, he left many details of the planned approach open. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the initiative does not currently envisage US warships escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
Observers believe it is possible that Trump wants to prepare the ground for the resumption of fighting with "Project Freedom": provoking a reaction from Iran "could provide the most convincing justification for the resumption of hostilities", wrote Hamidreza Azizi, currently a research fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, on X.
Emirates report drone attack on state tanker
Another incident highlighted just how precarious the situation remains for international shipping in the region. The United Arab Emirates reported an Iranian attack with two drones on a tanker belonging to the state-owned energy company ADNOC. No casualties were reported, according to the Foreign Ministry, which warned that the Strait of Hormuz should not be misused as political or economic leverage. It was not initially clear when exactly the attack was supposed to have occurred.
On Sunday, the UK Merchant Shipping Safety Office (UKMTO) once again reported attacks on ships in the strait. It announced, for example, that the captain of a northbound bulk carrier had reported an attack by several small boats. The incident took place eleven nautical miles west of the Iranian city of Sirik.
The Iranian news agency Fars reported that a ship had been stopped by order of the Iranian navy in order to check documents. This measure was carried out as part of surveillance procedures. There was no mention of an attack.
Proposals, hardly any progress
The opening of the strait is one of the sticking points in the negotiations between the USA and Iran to settle the conflict - alongside the Iranian nuclear program and uranium enriched in the Islamic Republic. Iran wants the latter to be left out for the time being.
Tehran recently submitted a new proposal in its efforts to end the war. In an initial reaction, in which he announced that the proposal would be examined, Trump said that he could not imagine that it would be acceptable. At the same time, the US President warned that there was still the possibility of attacking Iran again should the Iranian leadership misbehave in his eyes.
According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, the USA has now responded to the Iranian proposal. According to Iranian media, foreign ministry spokesman Ismail Baghai said that this response is now being examined.
