Tehran claims two missiles struck a US destroyer; Washington flatly denies any vessel was hit as the most dangerous naval confrontation in years unfolds
Iran launched cruise missiles, combat drones and small attack boats at US Navy warships and American-flagged commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, in a direct military confrontation triggered by the Trump administration’s audacious bid to break Tehran’s months-long chokehold on one of the world’s most critical waterways.
The clashes erupted hours after President Trump unveiled “Project Freedom” — an operation involving 15,000 service members, guided-missile destroyers and more than 100 aircraft — designed to escort stranded commercial shipping safely through the strait. Iran had blocked most tanker traffic through the passage since the outbreak of war on 28 February, triggering a historic energy supply shock that sent oil prices surging and rattled global markets.
“Iran was initiating aggressive behavior — multiple cruise missiles were launched at US-flagged ships and the Navy vessels protecting them.” Adm. Brad Cooper, Commander, US Central Command
Iranian state media claimed two missiles struck a US Navy frigate near Jask Island after the warship ignored repeated radio warnings to halt its approach. US Central Command issued a swift rebuttal: “No US Navy ships have been struck.” Admiral Brad Cooper, speaking by phone from the region, confirmed Iran had fired “multiple cruise missiles” but said American attack helicopters destroyed the small boats and intercepted the drones before damage was done.
The exchange leaves the fragile US–Iran ceasefire — which took effect on 8 April — in a precarious state. Cooper notably declined to confirm whether the truce was still in force, saying only that US forces were acting in a “purely defensive” capacity. Despite the hostilities, Central Command announced that two US-flagged merchant vessels had already completed the strait transit as a first successful step of the operation.
The UAE also reported its air defences intercepted 15 Iranian missiles and four drones, with authorities in Fujairah confirming a fire at an oil facility — signalling the conflict was spreading beyond the narrow waterway. Both Iran and the United States appeared to downplay the severity of the exchanges, with each side denying its own vessels had been hit, in what analysts described as a mutual effort to avoid a full-scale escalation.
