The U.S. says it has begun restoring commercial transit through the Strait of Hormuz, but Iran says the move threatens a fragile ceasefire.
The United States and Iran issued competing claims over the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday after Washington began a new operation to escort commercial shipping through the critical waterway, a move that tested a fragile ceasefire and raised fresh concerns about global energy supplies.
U.S. Central Command said two U.S.-flagged merchant vessels successfully crossed the strait as part of “Project Freedom,” President Donald Trump’s effort to help move ships stranded since Iran’s de facto closure of the channel. Iranian state-linked media and officials, meanwhile, portrayed Tehran as still controlling access to the strait and warned that the U.S. operation could be treated as a ceasefire violation.
The stakes are unusually high: about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas typically moves through the Strait of Hormuz. The disruption has already driven up fuel prices, stranded thousands of sailors and added pressure to peace talks that have made little visible progress.
The U.S. military denied Iranian reports that an American warship had been struck by missiles while attempting to enter the strait. “No U.S. Navy ships have been struck,” Central Command said, adding that U.S. forces were supporting Project Freedom while continuing a naval blockade of Iranian ports.
Iran’s Fars News Agency, which is aligned with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, had reported that a U.S. Navy vessel was hit after ignoring an Iranian warning and was forced to retreat. A senior Iranian official separately told Reuters that Iran had fired a warning shot to prevent a U.S. warship from entering the strait, but said it was unclear whether there was damage.
Central Command said guided-missile destroyers were operating in the Arabian Gulf after transiting the strait, and that American forces were working to restore commercial transit. NPR, citing the U.S. military, reported that American forces had opened a passage free of Iranian mines and that U.S. helicopters sank six small boats after Iran launched missiles, drones and small boats at civilian ships under U.S. protection.
The operation also drew warnings from Tehran. Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Iran’s parliamentary speaker and chief negotiator, accused Washington of undermining shipping security in the strait and suggested Iran had not fully responded. Iranian officials have said any U.S. attempt to interfere in the waterway would breach the ceasefire.
Trump announced Project Freedom on Sunday, saying the United States would help guide neutral ships out of restricted waters. He described the mission as a humanitarian effort for people, companies and countries caught in the conflict, but warned that interference would be “dealt with forcefully.”
The ceasefire, which began in April, appeared to remain in place Tuesday despite reported attacks around the Gulf. The United Arab Emirates said its air defenses engaged 15 missiles and four drones fired by Iran, and authorities in Fujairah said a drone caused a fire at a key oil facility, injuring three Indian nationals. Tehran did not confirm or deny the attacks, but Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned the U.S. and the UAE against being pulled back into what he called a quagmire.
Regional governments urged restraint. Saudi Arabia condemned the strikes on the UAE and called on Iran to stop the attacks and respect international law. Pakistan, which has been mediating between Washington and Tehran, also called for the ceasefire to be upheld.
Commercial traffic through the strait remained uncertain. The U.S. said two American-flagged vessels had made it through, but it was not immediately clear whether broader shipping would resume. Ship-tracking data cited by NPR showed a Panamanian-flagged crude tanker heading toward the center of the strait Tuesday morning after leaving an anchorage in the Persian Gulf, though its intended route was unclear.
The next test is whether the U.S. escort effort expands beyond the initial crossings — and whether Iran responds militarily, diplomatically or through further restrictions on one of the world’s most important shipping lanes.
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