Iran threatens retaliation after Trump says U.S. will guide ships in Strait of Hormuz

Washington Post-May4th2026

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Iran’s military is warning that it will strike U.S. forces if they attempt to approach the Strait of Hormuz, after President Donald Trump said the United States would soon begin guiding ships through the strait, calling it a humanitarian gesture requested by other countries whose vessels, crews and supplies have been stuck for weeks.

Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi, commander of Khatam al-Anbiya military headquarters, said in a statement reported by Iran’s state-run Mehr news agency early Monday that Iran would strike any foreign force — naming the U.S. military in particular — attempting to approach or enter the waterway.

The Joint Maritime Information Center, a U.S.-led maritime task force, said Monday that the United States had set up an “enhanced security area” and advised vessels choosing to transit the strait to consider using Oman’s territorial waters, south of the normal shipping routes.

It was not clear from the center’s advisory note how the area’s security was enhanced.

In his Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump did not detail the actions the U.S. would take to facilitate the exit of ships or how many vessels are set to pass through the strait. It was not clear from his statement whether the U.S. would only provide ship captains information to guide them to safe routes or take more active measures.

The White House did not respond to questions about the logistics and U.S. military risks.

Trump wrote in his post that the U.S. plan is “meant to free up people, companies, and Countries that have done absolutely nothing wrong — They are victims of circumstance.” He also wrote that his representatives have been having “very positive discussions” with Iranian leaders about formally ending the hostilities between the U.S. and Iran that have rattled the region.

Following Trump’s post, U.S. Central Command said it would support what it called “Project Freedom … to restore freedom of navigation for commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.” It left unclear what that support would mean operationally.

A Centcom social media post referred to a new joint initiative by the State and Defense departments called the Maritime Freedom Construct that “aims to combine diplomatic action with military coordination.” That initiative, described in a State Department cable first reported last week by the Wall Street Journal, called on other nations to help “fill gaps not currently addressed.”

Britain and France said last month that they would contribute to “strictly peaceful and defensive” efforts to open maritime traffic once the war is over. Trump has sharply criticized NATO nations, including Spain, Italy and Germany, who have declined to participate.

The strait, a key waterway off the coast of Iran, is closed to shipping, which has trapped oil, fertilizer and petroleum products in the Persian Gulf and driven up energy prices worldwide. An estimated 2,000 ships have been stuck since Iran closed the strait to any ships without its permission, and the U.S. announced a blockade of all ships traveling to or from Iranian ports, causing a standoff with global implications.