Iran has intensified its efforts to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz by deploying hundreds of speedboats and demanding cooperation from ships passing through, effectively formalizing its control. Iranian officials have signaled a willingness to use military force in response to any U.S. naval operations in the area, raising tensions. Despite reaffirmations of open access from the U.S. and China, Iran is moving towards institutionalizing control over the waterway.