ADNOC, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, reported that one of its vessels was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, the third attack on an ADNOC tanker in two days amid a US-Iran standoff over control of the waterway [3][6]. The United Arab Emirates accused Iran's Revolutionary Guards of acts of piracy in the strait [20], while Saudi Arabia condemned the attacks as an unacceptable recurrence of Iranian attacks and Qatar demanded the strait be opened unconditionally [8]. ADNOC stated that no serious injuries occurred and the situations were brought under control [3][8]. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported a bulk carrier struck by an unknown projectile in the strait the same day [12][14].
The attacks followed US President Donald Trump's announcement that he would "soon" declare the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States, asserting that Iran was "being very badly defeated" and that no ship passes through the US naval blockade without permission [1][5][11]. Trump described the blockade as a "wall of steel" and framed the territorial declaration as a service to the world [13][22]. An unnamed White House official later told reporters that the territorial declaration was intended as a joke [9][19][20]. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stated the US Navy could maintain the blockade indefinitely by rotating ships [8].
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi rejected Trump's assertion, stating that the strait "has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian" and that it "cannot be taken over by a tweet, nor by an aircraft carrier, nor by issuing a decree, nor by an election speech" [6][13][20]. Revolutionary Guards commander Major General Vahidi stated that Iran had forced the US military to kneel and achieved victory, while Iranian forces reinforced fortifications around the strait and deployed additional troops [12]. Iranian military officials called Trump's claims of US control "baseless lies and fabrications" [5].
Iran set maximalist conditions for reopening the strait, including an end to the war, lifting of sanctions, release of frozen assets, and full compensation for war damages [9][11][20]. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that no decision had been made to resume negotiations with the United States, and that contacts via mediators Qatar and Pakistan did not constitute negotiations [6][11][13]. Separate talks with Oman focused narrowly on defining a sea-route mechanism through the strait [11]. The deadline for US-Iran negotiations under a framework agreement expired without progress, with a ceasefire extension of 60 to 90 days under discussion via Pakistani mediators [9].
Trump urged Americans to accept higher gasoline prices as the cost of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, describing the increase as "a tiny little bit more for your gasoline" [6][7][13]. US gasoline prices rose 29% year-on-year to $4.08 per gallon [13]. Vice President JD Vance stated that keeping oil and gas cheap for Americans was the top priority, with preventing Iran's nuclear weapon acquisition ranking second [8][20]. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian blamed high inflation on the US blockade of Iranian ports and sanctions on oil exports [6][13]. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent pledged further economic measures against Iran, describing forthcoming actions as unprecedented in the history of economic isolation [6][8].
Data from the maritime analytics firm Kpler showed 3,371 vessels had crossed the strait since the war began, approximately 20% of pre-war traffic, with only two vessels transiting on Friday compared to over 130 daily before the conflict [5][13]. Economic analysts described a supply-demand imbalance pushing oil markets toward a critical point, with import-dependent economies bearing the heaviest costs [26][31][33]. Nigeria saw fuel prices double, Egypt's pound lost approximately 7% due to Suez Canal disruption, and South Africa reported a 112% increase in vessel calls at the Port of Cape Town from rerouted shipping [33]. The German government stated that energy supplies were secure, noting Germany sources only 6% of its oil from the Middle East [35], while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared the closure of Hormuz "unacceptable" and outlined diversification efforts [36].
China's foreign ministry stated that a blockade of the strait did not serve the common interests of the international community [24][25], while reporting indicated Beijing was privately lobbying Washington for navigation rights for Chinese vessels [25]. A joint EU-GCC declaration rejected any unilateral claims of sovereignty or control over the strait, opposing any permit or toll regime [32], and a 38-nation coalition including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, and Canada condemned Iran's actions and affirmed the principle of freedom of navigation [30]. Legal analysts argued that any proposal granting Iran or Oman control over strait access was incompatible with international law and would set a precedent for other chokepoints [34].
The conflict extended beyond the strait into neighboring fronts. Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed at least 11 people [10], though Turkish reporting put the toll at 19 [12], with Hezbollah threatening an appropriate response and Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun calling the violations a clear message on the negotiation process [10]. Houthi forces fired missiles at Yemen's Mocha port — six ballistic missiles according to Yemen's government [8][14], though the port director reported more than 25 strikes [10] — killing civilians and suspending commercial operations, and stated they had targeted an Aramco facility in Najran, Saudi Arabia [8][13]. Iran called for the release of three pilots allegedly captured by Qatari forces, which Qatar categorically denied [10].
Oil pollution affected approximately 32,000 square meters of coastline and 90,000 square meters of water surface on Iran's Qeshm Island, with Oman's Environment Authority reporting contamination along 12 kilometres of coastline near Ras Madraka [27][10]. Iranian officials attributed the pollution to a foreign bulk carrier and called for environmental remediation to be incorporated into future strait management [27].
Oman reported constructive talks with Iran on regulating shipping through the strait, though no agreement was announced [9]. The deadline for ceasefire discussions via Pakistani mediators remained unresolved [9], while UAE diplomatic adviser Anwar Gargash stated the UAE would safeguard its rights to freedom of navigation while continuing the path of dialogue [10].