U.S. says Strait of Hormuz is open despite Iran declaring it closed as strikes continue

IranU.S. insists Strait of Hormuz remains open despite Iran declaring it closed, as strikes escalateU.S. Central Command insisted the key waterway remains open despite Iran’s warning that it is closed to shipping, saying: “Iran does not control the strait. Traffic is flowing.”Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00Add NBC News to GoogleUS Launches New Strikes on Iran After It Closes Strait of Hormuz01:52Get more newsLiveonShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJuly 11, 2026, 4:04 AM EDT / Updated July 12, 2026, 6:37 PM EDTBy Freddie Clayton, Dennis Romero and The Associated PressThe United States launched yet another round of strikes on Iran on Sunday, part of an effort it said was to thwart its attacks on traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway crucial to the world’s oil supply.Subscribe to read this story ad-freeGet unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The latest round of strikes commenced at 5 p.m. ET, U.S. Central Command said in a statement. The goal of the attacks is to curb Iran’s ability to target commercial shipping in the strait at a time when the U.S. has declared it open for business and Iran has said it’s closed.President Donald Trump directed the strikes, as he did those launched Saturday, “to hold Iranian forces accountable,” CENTCOM said. The Saturday strikes launched by the U.S. against Iran were retaliation for its attack on a Cyprus-flagged container ship in the waterway, CENTCOM said.Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy declared the strait closed on Saturday ET, blaming foreign interference and attempts by several vessels to pass through unauthorized routes, as it said it struck one transiting ship.Iran’s shuttering of the strait was not mentioned in CENTCOM’s statement on overnight strikes, which only mentioned the attack on the vessel. At the conclusion of the strikes, it said U.S. forces hit 140 military targets, including Iranian missile and drone sites, naval capabilities and coastal surveillance locations...