Rubio says Iran fired on commercial ships, cites military options for Trump
Iran's security council has tied any reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to a four to five day deadline for Washington
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Map: The Gulf and Hormuz, marking Strait of Hormuz
UpdateWednesday, September 23, 2026 at 11:05 AM ET
A senior Iranian official tells Reuters that Tehran is reviewing the U.S. response to its proposal to end hostilities. The official says indirect talks on Tuesday, held at the United Nations between envoy Steve Witkoff and Iran's delegation, touched on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting the U.S. blockade. Iran's security chief says the strait stays closed until Tehran's conditions are met. President Pezeshkian says the waterway cannot be used to move weapons against Iran.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran fired on commercial ships this morning and said President Trump has a number of options available, including military ones.
Iran's security council has tied any reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to a four to five day deadline it has set for Washington. Rubio has separately said the United States understands the strait is an issue and will keep working to keep it open.
US envoy Steve Witkoff has been holding talks with Iranian mediators as part of the wider standoff over the strait.
Rubio's statement that Iran fired on commercial ships, paired with his explicit mention of military options, marks a shift from the rhetorical posturing that has dominated recent weeks toward the possibility of kinetic action. That would carry immediate escalation risk, with the potential to sharply disrupt energy markets and widen the conflict across the region, making the situation materially more bearish for risk assets.