U.S. Central Command struck Iranian military targets for an 11th straight night Wednesday as tensions escalate over control of the Strait of Hormuz, the critical waterway that handles roughly 20% of the world’s energy supply.
The ongoing strikes targeted military operations centers, drone storage facilities, and logistics infrastructure as the U.S. seeks to “continue degrading Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” according to Centcom.
Speaking at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ meeting in the Philippines, Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Tehran of not honoring commitments made under an interim agreement signed in June. He maintained that Washington remains “committed to diplomacy” but warned that the U.S. “will do what is necessary to protect our interest and also the interest of our allies.”
Dispute Over Strait Management
The central dispute revolves around who controls the strategic waterway. Rubio said Iran “demands the right” to control traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a claim he said has no basis under international law.
“If we create a precedent in the Middle East, where a nation state can decide that they are going to control an international waterway, charge a toll, and if you don’t pay them, blow up your ships, we have created a very dangerous precedent, which will repeat itself in other parts of the world, including in this region,” Rubio said.
The U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding on June 17 that halted military operations, called for the reopening of Hormuz, and established a 60-day window for negotiating a permanent agreement covering Iran’s nuclear program. But the document left the future management of the strait unresolved.
Iran interpreted the text as recognizing a role for Tehran in managing traffic through the strait and potentially charging for maritime services after the initial 60-day period. The U.S., however, maintained that the waterway must remain open without compulsory Iranian fees or restrictions.
Regional Implications
Rubio appeared to make a veiled reference to China and ongoing disputes in the South China Sea, telling ASEAN foreign ministers that “of all the regions in the world, the one I don’t need to teach about the importance of freedom of navigation in international waterways, it is this region.”
The U.S. Navy has previously conducted “freedom of navigation” operations around disputed islands in the South China Sea, where several Southeast Asian countries have competing claims with China.
Iran and Oman, which both border the Strait of Hormuz, issued a joint statement on June 23 saying that “All arrangements related to the Strait of Hormuz must fully respect the sovereignty and sovereign rights of the two Coastal States of the Strait.”
Rubio characterized the strikes as “consequences” for Tehran not keeping its word. “If these consequences did not exist, then today we would be living in a world where the significant percentage of the energy supply of this region and 20% of the energy supply of the world is being held hostage by a nation state,” he said.
The secretary of state added that Washington’s willingness to negotiate depends on Iran’s seriousness. “The problem we’re having right now is that they’re not serious about talks,” Rubio said. “If they’re serious, we’re serious. If they’re not, then we will do what is necessary.”
Source: www.cnbc.com — https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/22/us-iran-war-trump-hormuz-.html
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