US President Donald Trump has threatened to declare the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz part of US territory, escalating Washington's rhetoric amid its confrontation with Iran and raising further questions over US intentions toward one of the world's most important energy corridors.

Speaking Friday at a political rally at a police academy in New York State, Trump said he would “soon” make the unprecedented declaration after what he described as the defeat of Iran.

“After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated — pretty soon I'll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States,” Trump said, appearing to make the statement with a chuckle before adding, “It's true.”

The remarks represent a striking escalation in Washington's language over the waterway, which connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and serves as a crucial route for global energy shipments.

Trump's comments come amid an ongoing confrontation between Washington and Tehran following the US-Israeli military offensive against Iran launched on February 28.

Washington and Israel have claimed that the campaign was aimed at disrupting Iran's nuclear programme and encouraging political change inside the country. Iran, however, responded militarily and has resisted the campaign, challenging US and Israeli efforts to impose their objectives through force.

The Strait of Hormuz has subsequently become a central point of the confrontation.

Iran has maintained significant control over the strategic waterway, while the United States has attempted to impose a blockade on Iranian ports as part of its campaign to pressure Tehran economically.

Trump confirmed the existence of the US blockade during his remarks, telling supporters: “We have the blockade. No ships get through unless we want them to.”

The statement underscores the extent to which Washington is seeking to exert control over international maritime traffic in waters of immense strategic importance.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most strategically significant maritime passages, with a substantial share of global oil and gas shipments passing through the waterway.

Iran's ability to challenge US attempts to control the passage has therefore become a major obstacle to Washington's campaign against Tehran.

From Tehran's perspective, the latest US threats demonstrate that Washington's confrontation with Iran extends beyond the nuclear issue and encompasses attempts to impose American control over Iran's strategic environment and economic lifelines.

Trump's threat to claim the Strait of Hormuz as US territory has intensified concerns over Washington's ambitions and the potential consequences for regional stability and international maritime commerce.

The confrontation also places further pressure on global energy markets, as any prolonged disruption in the waterway could have consequences far beyond the Middle East.

With Washington continuing its blockade and Iran refusing to yield to US pressure, the Strait of Hormuz has emerged as a major front in the broader confrontation between the two countries. (ILKHA)