The U.S. military’s top command for the Middle East forcefully dismissed assertions from Iranian state media that a United States Navy vessel had been struck by missiles fired by Tehran’s forces. In a statement posted early Monday on the social platform X, U.S. Central Command labeled the claim outright false.
“CLAIM: Iranian state media claims that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps hit a U.S. warship with two missiles,” CENTCOM wrote. “TRUTH: No U.S. Navy ships have been struck. U.S. forces are supporting Project Freedom and enforcing the naval blockade on Iranian ports.” The reference to Project Freedom aligns with an initiative President Donald Trump announced Sunday aimed at clearing commercial vessels trapped in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
The denial came after Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, which is closely tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, posted what it described as a statement from the country’s armed forces. According to a translation by the AI tool Grok, the post claimed that “with the decisive and swift warning from the Navy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the entry of enemy American Zionist destroyers into the Strait of Hormuz area was prevented.”
Separately, Iran’s Fars News Agency reported that “local news sources” indicated two missiles had struck a U.S. Navy ship attempting to transit the strait. The outlet alleged the vessel ignored warnings from Iranian forces before coming under attack. These claims, also translated via Grok, could not be independently verified.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that a warning shot was fired at a U.S. warship to prevent its entry into the waterway, though the official acknowledged it remained unclear whether any damage occurred. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, has been effectively closed amid the ongoing conflict between Washington and Tehran.
President Trump announced on Sunday via Truth Social that the United States would assist in freeing ships from various nations that have been locked in the strait. “Countries from all over the World, almost all of which are not involved in the Middle Eastern dispute going on so visibly, and violently, for all to see, have asked the United States if we could help free up their Ships,” Trump wrote, describing the vessels as belonging to “neutral and innocent bystanders.”
The exchange underscores the heightened military posture in the region. CENTCOM’s blunt rebuttal aims to counter Iranian propaganda and reassure allies. The incident also echoes broader tensions, as seen in recent developments such as the debate over war powers and the administration’s aggressive stance on maritime security.
As of now, the Pentagon has not reported any change in naval operations, and commercial shipping remains disrupted. The standoff continues to test the limits of U.S. deterrence and Iran’s willingness to escalate.
