As part of supporting Operation “Freedom,” US Navy guided-missile destroyers are operating in the Persian Gulf after passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The announcement was made by the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), stating that American forces are actively participating in efforts to restore safe passage for commercial shipping amid heightened tensions in the region.
US President Donald Trump simultaneously announced that two American-flagged commercial vessels successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing that navigation continues despite threats and challenges.
Tehran, for its part, claimed it prevented an American warship from entering the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian news agency, citing local sources, reported that the warship withdrew from the area. Meanwhile, the Iranian Navy stated it prevented US warships from entering the Strait of Hormuz.
Axios: US Navy gets “green light” to neutralize Iranian threats in Strait of Hormuz
With US President Donald Trump rejecting Iran’s new proposal, the United States appears to be changing the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, a development that could lead to further escalation. According to Axios journalist Barak Ravid, US military forces have the “green light” to neutralize threats against ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz, such as Iranian Revolutionary Guard speedboats or missile systems.
Ravid references a previous Axios report stating that the American president had grown tired of the “no deal, no war” stalemate with Iran. “Operation Freedom” could lead back to war, Axios notes. “The president wants action. He doesn’t want to sit still. He wants pressure. He wants a deal,” a senior US official said.
US denies any ship was hit by Iranian missiles
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated earlier that “no US Navy vessel has been hit.”
“American forces are supporting Operation Freedom and enforcing a naval blockade on Iranian ports,” it added.
A senior American official, in turn, denied reports that a ship was hit by Iranian missiles near the Strait of Hormuz, according to Axios.
This marks the first reaction noted from the US, with Donald Trump having previously warned that any action impeding the American operation “will be met with force.”
Strait of Hormuz: Trump’s message and Tehran’s warning
Trump had previously stated that any action impeding the American operation “will be met with force.” Earlier, Tehran, responding to yesterday’s announcements by Donald Trump regarding the launch of Operation Freedom to free ships from the Strait of Hormuz, issued a warning to the US Navy not to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Joint Armed Forces Command also warned all commercial ships and oil tankers to refrain from any movement without prior coordination with Iranian military forces stationed in the Strait.
Meanwhile, the Iranian Navy released a new map showing the Strait of Hormuz area under its control.
The area begins in the west with a line extending from the tip of the Iranian island of Qeshm to the emirate of Umm al-Quwain in the United Arab Emirates.
In the east, the area extends to a line between Mount Mobarak in Iran and the emirate of Fujairah in the UAE.
