The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has said that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to all vessels seeking lawful passage hours after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the closure of the strategic waterway until further notice.

The statement came after US President Donald Trump said in a press meeting that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to commercial shipping.

In a social media post, CENTCOM said maritime traffic continues to flow through the strait and that US forces are positioned to ensure freedom of navigation despite what it described as Iranian aggression, harassment, threats and arbitrary declarations. It asserted that Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz and that safe transit routes remain open. CENTCOM added that US forces have facilitated the passage of more than 800 ships and over 400 million barrels of crude oil through the waterway over the past two months.

Earlier, the United States carried out fresh airstrikes on Iran after Tehran attacked a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, setting it on fire and forcing its crew to abandon ship. According to CENTCOM, the strikes targeted around 140 Iranian military sites, including missile, drone and communications facilities.

Iran responded with missile and drone attacks targeting Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Qatar and Kuwait said they intercepted the incoming projectiles, while Bahrain activated missile alerts. Iran also claimed to have struck a US military base in Jordan.

The latest escalation has heightened concerns over regional security and global energy markets, as the Strait of Hormuz is a critical shipping route for a significant share of the world’s oil and natural gas trade.