Trump announces Iran naval blockade, says US will be 'guardian' of Strait of Hormuz

US-Iran news LIVE: "We're going to keep the strait, and we'll probably run it," Trump said.

President Donald Trump on Monday said America would be reinstating the naval blockade on Iran, while adding that other countries would have “fair and open use” of the Strait of Hormuz. This blog has now ended. Track latest updates here. However, the US President said America would be known as the “guardian” of the strait and be reimbursed at the rate of 20 per cent on all cargo shipped, adding that this “process” would begin immediately.

Iran's top joint military command had earlier said Tehran would not allow Washington to intervene in the management of the waterway.

Meanwhile, at least one person was killed and seven others were injured in a US strike on a military base in Nain city in Iran's central Isfahan province, according to Iranian media. The deputy governor of Isfahan said the casualties occurred "following an attack by the terrorist American army", with the injured receiving treatment as per Al Jazeera.

That makes the death toll of the latest US strikes in Iran to at least two people, according to Iranian media.

Iran said it would not implement its commitments under the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United States unless Washington fulfilled its own obligations under the agreement, Reuters reported citing the Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson.

Fresh US-Iran strikes

Iran on Monday shot down a US-manufactured ‘Lucas’ suicide drone over Bandar Abbas. The drone was “accurately hit and shot down”, the country's Tasnim news agency reported.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched retaliatory strikes on US military bases in Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait, according to Iranian state media. They claimed to launch a fifth wave of retaliatory attacks, targeting US-linked military facilities in Bahrain and radar installations in Oman with missiles and drones.

The US military, earlier, said it struck dozens of targets at multiple locations across Iran. The targets included Iranian military air defence systems, coastal radar sites, missile and drone capabilities, and small boats, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said. The operation involved US fighter aircraft, naval vessels, one-way attack aerial drones and, for the first time, one-way attack sea drones.

At least two dead, 11 injured in US attacks in Iran

At least two people were killed, and 11 injured in US strikes on Iran since Sunday. One person was killed, and seven others were injured in a US attack near Nain county in Iran's Isfahan province, Mehr news agency reported. On Sunday, one person was killed and four others were injured after a US projectile struck an agricultural water pumping station in Mahshahr in Iran's Khuzestan province early, provincial authorities said.

According to Iran's state news agency IRNA, the person killed was a security guard at the facility. Khuzestan Deputy Governor for Security and Law Enforcement Valiollah Hayati said emergency and medical teams were treating the injured.

Air raid sirens were activated across Bahrain, the country's interior ministry said. The alerts sounded at dawn Monday in Bahrain, home to the US Navy's 5th Fleet. There was no immediate word on damage, AFP reported.

Fresh strikes

The United States launched a fresh missiles on southern Iran on Sunday. Iranian state media reported explosions in the southern port cities of Bandar Abbas, Sirik and Jask, as well as on Qeshm Island, hours after Washington said it carried out another round of attacks targeting Iranian military assets.

The latest strikes follow a day of intense military exchanges. The US military said it struck at least 140 targets across Iran, while Tehran responded with attacks targeting US military bases and facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Jordan.

Kuwait said Iranian strikes hit border posts and an oil rig, while Qatar reported injuries caused by intercepted projectiles. Oman, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates also said they detected incoming fire during the weekend.

Hormuz remains flashpoint

The Strait of Hormuz is at the centre of all this. Washington and Tehran have issued conflicting claims over the status of one of the world's busiest oil shipping lanes.

US President Donald Trump has insisted that the waterway remains "open". Iran, though, maintains that maritime traffic will not be permitted until "stability and calm are restored", according to the country's Persian Gulf Strait Authority.