The United States says the Strait of Hormuz remains open and that shipping continues to move through the waterway despite Iranian statements to the contrary. According to US Central Command, traffic is flowing and Iran does not control the strait, following tensions in the Gulf. The latest dispute occurs after the US launches fresh strikes on Iranian targets, in response to an alleged Iranian attack on a Cyprus-flagged container ship in the Strait of Hormuz. After the incident, Iran claimed that the strategic waterway was closed. Maritime monitoring and related agencies continue to warn that the security threat in the region remains severe, even as the US maintains that the flow of commercial traffic is not disrupted. The Strait of Hormuz has repeatedly become a flashpoint between the US and Iran, with periodic confrontations and statements of control over the passage. The current exchange also comes in a broader context of efforts to reduce wider conflict in the Middle East, though reports indicate tensions continue to flare around the strait.