TEHRAN, May 4 : Iran’s IRGC affiliated media outlet, Fars News, reported that the paramilitary fired “cruise missile warning shots” at US Navy destroyers nearing the entrance of the Strait of Hormuz in the Sea of Oman.
A similar claim was earlier made by the outlet which claimed, citing local media, that a US frigate had been struck by missiles, though Washington had denied the claim.
Neither confirming nor denying the Iranian claim, CENTCOM refused to elaborate, and said that US warships had transited the Strait as part of “efforts to restore transit for commercial shipping” through the waterway under the operation, codenamed ‘Project Freedom’, announced by President Donald Trump.
The US military also said two American-flagged commercial vessels had managed to transit the Strait successfully under the guises of the project, but there was no further information provided on those journeys or how they were supported or guided by naval forces.
Fars said Iranian forces first warned the US destroyers verbally, and then “issued a further warning by firing cruise missile warning shots, rockets, and combat drones near the hostile vessels.”
The US military did not immediately confirm or deny ships in the Persian Gulf region being subjected to warning fire by Iranian forces.
(UNI)
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