U.S. Says Missile Destroyers Deployed in Gulf as Two American Ships Cross Strait

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U.S. Navy Ship

The U.S. military said that two U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers had entered the Gulf in a move described as aimed at countering an Iranian blockade, while two U.S. merchant vessels successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz.

The statement followed Iranian claims that it had prevented a U.S. warship from entering the Gulf.

The U.S. Central Command said that its forces are supporting President Donald Trump’s “Project Freedom”, which aims to assist and guide commercial vessels stranded in the Gulf amid the ongoing U.S.–Israeli war with Iran. The command also stated that its operations are aimed at enforcing a blockade of Iranian ports.

The developments have heightened concerns over a possible direct military confrontation between the United States and Iran in one of the world’s most strategic waterways, through which around one-fifth of global seaborne oil and gas typically passes, although shipping through the route has reportedly been disrupted for two months due to the conflict.

CENTCOM said two U.S.-flagged merchant vessels had crossed through the strait as the U.S. destroyers operated in the Gulf, adding: "American forces are actively assisting efforts to restore transit for commercial shipping."

Earlier, Tehran said it had forced a U.S. warship to turn back from the Strait of Hormuz, although CENTCOM quickly denied a report by Iran's semi-official Fars news agency that two missiles had hit the ship near the Iranian port of Jask.

A senior Iranian official told Reuters Iran had fired a warning shot and that it was unclear whether the warship had been damaged.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News that the U.S. had absolute control of the strait.

President Trump previously gave few details of his plan to aid ships and their crews who have been confined to the Gulf and are running low on food and other supplies.

"We have told these Countries that we will guide their Ships safely out of these restricted Waterways, so that they can freely and ably get on with their business," he said in a post on his Truth Social site on Sunday.

In response, Iran's unified command told commercial ships and oil tankers:

"We have repeatedly said the security of the Strait of Hormuz is in our hands and that the safe passage of vessels needs to be coordinated with the armed forces ...

"We warn that any foreign armed forces, especially the aggressive U.S. Army, will be attacked if they intend to approach and enter the Strait of Hormuz."

Iran has blocked nearly all shipping into and out of the Gulf apart from its own since the start of the war, sending oil prices soaring by 50% or more.

CENTCOM said it would support President Trump's "Project Freedom" with 15,000 military personnel and more than 100 land- and sea-based aircraft, plus warships and drones.

The International Maritime Organization has said that hundreds of commercial vessels and as many as 20,000 seafarers have been unable to transit the Strait of Hormuz during the ongoing conflict.

In a rare positive development amid rising tensions, Pakistan announced that the United States had handed over 22 crew members from an Iranian container vessel that was seized by American forces last month.

Pakistan, which has been seeking to facilitate peace efforts, described the transfer as a “confidence-building measure.”

Source: Reuters



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