Fact Check: Is Iran sending troops to protect the Strait of Hormuz after threats from Trump?
TEHRAN, IRAN: A rumor has been circulating on social media platforms that Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has announced that Iranian soldiers are heading towards the Strait of Hormuz. The claim surfaced as President Donald Trump threatened to attack Iran if they did open the vital Strait within 48 hours of his warning. Let us fact-check the viral claim.
Claim: Iran is sending 600,000 troops to protect Strait of Hormuz
After Trump had threatened strikes on Iran’s power plants if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened within 48 hours, a claim went viral on X, stating that “Mojtaba Ali Khamenei, the new leader of Iran, announced that more than 600,000 Iranian soldiers headed today to the Strait of Hormuz to defend Iran’s waters and territory.”
The post has garnered almost half a million views with thousands of likes, and those commenting even appear to believe the claim to be true, expressing concerns about the intensifying conflict in the Middle East.
Fact Check: No official announcement from Iran
However, there is no evidence that the Islamic Republic has made such an announcement, nor are there any credible reports about Iranian troops being sent to the crucial strait.
A search on Google for the claim yielded no credible reports by prominent news media outlets. Also, the account that posted the claim is not a credible source and has posted several such fake and unverified claims for the sake of engagement.
A fact check by Grok stated, “The claim of 600k+ soldiers "headed today" to Hormuz is unverified social media hype—no official Iranian statement or major news outlet confirms it.”
“Iran has ~610K active personnel (Global Firepower 2026 data), so definitely more than 200K alive and operational. The attached image is classic propaganda stock.”
Donald Trump threatens Iran over Strait of Hormuz blockade
Trump made the threat amid a joint US-Israeli operation targeting Iran’s political and military leadership over its nuclear enrichment program. In response, Iran has blocked the crucial global shipping route, intensifying geopolitical tensions and impacting global energy markets.
Trump made his position clear in a post on Truth Social, stating that "If Iran doesn't FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!"
