WASHINGTON: The United States military said on Monday it destroyed six Iranian small boats in the Strait of Hormuz after they allegedly targeted commercial vessels, in a fresh escalation despite the ceasefire between the US and Iran.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the operation was carried out by military helicopters and guided-missile destroyers operating in the region.
Admiral Brad Cooper said US forces had “successfully neutralised” the threat posed to commercial shipping.
He said Iran had launched multiple cruise missiles, drones and small boats towards vessels under US protection, but added that “every one” of the threats had been defeated.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump downplayed tensions after US warships entered the Strait of Hormuz and said that Iran had “taken some shots” but caused no harm apart from damage to a South Korean vessel.
“Other than the South Korean Ship, there has been, at this moment, no damage going through the Strait,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform as oil prices jumped over the renewed hostilities.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 4, 2026
Meanwhile, Iran denied that the US military had sunk Iranian boats, state television reported.
“The US claim that it sank a number of Iranian war boats is false,” a senior Iranian military official was quoted as saying by state television Press TV.
Admiral Cooper told journalists that US Apache and Seahawk helicopters hit “six Iranian small boats threatening commercial shipping”.
US forces also “effectively engaged” all “missiles and drones that were fired at both us and the commercial ships,” Cooper said.
Some cruise missiles were launched at US Navy ships, but most of them, as well as multiple drones, targeted commercial vessels, he said.
“We defended both ourselves and, consistent with our commitment, we defended all the commercial ships,” Cooper said.
CENTCOM said the operation formed part of its maritime security initiative in the Gulf, where US warships on Monday transited the Strait of Hormuz under an escort mission announced by US President Donald Trump.
The US military said guided-missile destroyers were now operating in the Arabian Gulf as part of “Project Freedom”, aimed at restoring safe passage for commercial shipping.
The military added that two US-flagged merchant vessels had transited the Strait of Hormuz and were safely en route.
U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers are currently operating in the Arabian Gulf after transiting the Strait of Hormuz in support of Project Freedom. American forces are actively assisting efforts to restore transit for commercial shipping. As a first step, 2 U.S.-flagged merchant… pic.twitter.com/SVDxDhK72I
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) May 4, 2026
Iranian response and warning shots
Iranian state media reported that its navy fired cruise missiles, rockets and drones as a “warning shot” near US warships in the Gulf after what it described as their “disregard” of initial warnings.
Earlier, Iran’s navy said it had issued warning shots following the entry of US destroyers into the region.
CENTCOM rejected Iranian claims that a US warship had been hit, calling the reports false.
The incident comes amid rising tensions over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy chokepoint through which around 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas flows.
US media reported that American naval forces would not directly escort commercial ships.
Tehran’s forces effectively closed the strait, a key route for oil and gas shipments, in response to the US-Israeli military campaign that began on February 28, while Washington is maintaining a blockade of Iranian ports.
Trump has indefinitely extended the initial two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan that brought a halt to the fighting, but the conflict — and its widespread economic fallout — remains unresolved.
Meanwhile, Iranian state media reported that Iran had prevented a US Navy destroyer from entering the Strait of Hormuz.
The reports included a claim from the Iranian military that it hit an American ship with two missiles, near Bandar-e-Jask on the Iranian coast.
However, soon after, US Central Command (CENTCOM) issued a statement, rejecting the Iranian media claims.
CENTCOM said no US ships had been struck and that US forces were supporting the operation, “and enforcing the naval blockade on Iranian ports”
The Iranian military earlier claimed that it had prevented a US Navy destroyer from entering the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency said a vessel was hit by two missiles as it was sailing through the Strait of Hormuz “in violation of traffic and shipping security”.
On Sunday, Trump announced plans for the US to “guide” stranded ships out of the Strait of Hormuz. Dubbed “Project Freedom”.
In a Truth Social post, the US president said the operation would begin “Monday morning, Middle East time”.
US Central Command said it would support the action with 15,000 personnel, guided-missile destroyers and more than 100 aircraft.
Trump has threatened to deal “forcefully” with any “interference” with the operation.
