Iran has thrown down a direct challenge to Washington and Tel Aviv over one of the world’s most critical chokepoints, the Strait of Hormuz. As President Trump ramps up threats to “open” the waterway by force, the IRGC Navy has declared that Hormuz has undergone “irreversible strategic changes” and “will never return to its former state, especially for the US and Israel,” signalling that the era of unfettered Western naval dominance is over. In an official statement, Tehran says Gulf security must now be run by regional states alone, with extra‑regional powers no longer allowed to dictate terms in its backyard. Yet even as Iran talks tough, it is slowly easing the tap: five weeks into the war, Iranian and maritime sources say only about 15–20 ships a day are being allowed to transit Hormuz with Tehran’s permission, a tiny trickle compared to pre‑war levels but still the highest traffic since fighting began. Iran maintains the strait is “open to all except ships tied to the US, Israel and their allies,” underscoring that it still holds the hand on the valve of a key global energy lifeline.