The United States military issued a firm denial on Monday, regarding Iranian reports that a US Navy vessel had been struck and forced to retreat near the Strait of Hormuz.
The denial from US Central Command (CENTCOM) comes as American forces prepare to launch a high-stakes maritime operation to guide commercial traffic through the strategic waterway, which has been largely paralysed since the outbreak of hostilities in late February.
The official handle of CENTCOM posted about "Project Freedom" while denying the Iranian claim. " CLAIM: Iranian state media claims that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps hit a U.S. warship with two missiles. TRUTH: No U.S. Navy ships have been struck. U.S. forces are supporting Project Freedom and enforcing the naval blockade on Iranian ports."
ALSO READ: Iran Navy Launches Missiles Against Two US Warships In Hormuz: Reports
Conflicting Reports from Tehran
Earlier on Monday, semi-official Iranian news outlets, including the Fars News Agency and the Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA), claimed that a US vessel had been successfully targeted near a port southeast of the strait.
Iranian officials accused the American ship of "violating maritime security and navigation norms," asserting that the strike compelled the vessel to abandon its course. This narrative aligns with Tehran's ongoing efforts to enforce its own maritime regime, which requires all ships to obtain Iranian authorization before passage, a demand the US and its allies have repeatedly rejected as illegal.
Operation "Project Freedom" Moves Forward
Despite the reported friction, the Pentagon confirmed that it is moving ahead with plans to facilitate the movement of hundreds of commercial vessels currently stranded in the region.
Trump said in a post on his Truth Social site on Sunday, as per media reports, "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."
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