The US and Iran have launched fresh attacks across the Strait of Hormuz. Throughout Monday, multiple explosions or fires were reported aboard several commercial ships in the Arabian Gulf as the US and Iran traded shots to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz.
This has put their fragile ceasefire under test as US President Donald Trump declined to say if the truce remains in place and Iran targeted the UAE with missile and drone attacks.
Gulf Caught in the Crossfire
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it eliminated six Iranian small boats and intercepted Iranian cruise missiles and drones in the critical waterway as part of Trump’s initiative, Project Freedom, to restore freedom of navigation.
“The IRGC has launched multiple cruise missiles, drones and small boats at ships that we are protecting. We have defeated each and every one of those threats through the clinical application of defensive munitions,” CENTCOM commander Brad Cooper told reporters.
Trump, however, said later that the US destroyed seven Iranian boats. He added that no vessels have incurred damage except a South Korean cargo ship.
“We’ve shot down seven small Boats or, as they like to call them, “fast” Boats. It’s all they have left. Other than the South Korean Ship, there has been, at this moment, no damage going through the Strait,” he posted on Truth Social.
According to CENTCOM, two US merchant vessels transited the strategic maritime corridor on Monday, supported by Navy guided-missile destroyers. Moreover, Danish shipping and logistics company Maersk confirmed that one of its ships transited the Strait with US military protection.
Contradictory Claims
Iranian state media denied US claims of sinking boats and Iran‘s Revolutionary Guards said no commercial vessels had crossed the Strait.
Iran also said that it shot a US warship approaching the Strait, forcing it to retreat. Iranian media claimed earlier that a US warship was targeted. However, the US dismissed the claim and Iranian officials later described the fire as warning shots.
In response, Trump warned that Iran will be “blown off the face of the Earth” if its forces target US ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
UAE Under Attack
The UAE Defense Ministry said its air defenses had “engaged 12 ballistic missiles, 3 cruise missiles, and 4 UAV’s launched from Iran, resulting in 3 moderate injuries” on Monday.
Earlier, authorities in the emirate of Fujairah said a drone attack sparked a fire at an oil port, injuring three Indian nationals.
“These attacks represent a dangerous escalation and an unacceptable violation,” the UAE Foreign Ministry said in a statement, emphasizing that the UAE “will not be complacent” in protecting its security and sovereignty under any circumstances.
The attacks on the UAE sparked strong regional condemnation. Saudi Arabia condemned “in the strongest terms” Iran’s targeting of “civilian and economic facilities” in the UAE, expressing solidarity with its Gulf neighbor “in the measures it takes to preserve its sovereignty, security and territorial integrity.”
Meanwhile, Omani authorities said that two foreign workers were injured and four vehicles were damaged as a residential building near the Strait “was targeted,” according to state-run Oman News Agency.
No Iranian Confirmation
Iran neither denied nor claimed responsibility for the attacks on the UAE. On Monday, Iranian state media quoted an unnamed official as saying that Tehran had no plan to target the UAE or its oil facilities.
“The incident resulted from US military adventurism to create an illegal passage,” he said.
Similarly, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi criticized the US initiative to reopen Hormuz, warning Washington and Abu Dhabi of being dragged into a quagmire.
“Events in Hormuz make clear that there’s no military solution to a political crisis. As talks are making progress with Pakistan’s gracious effort, the US should be wary of being dragged back into quagmire by ill-wishers. So should the UAE. Project Freedom is Project Deadlock,” he posted on X.
Ceasefire in Doubt
Uncertainty hangs over the fragile ceasefire brokered in April between the US and Iran, in light of the recent attacks. Trump on Monday declined to say whether the truce remains in place. “Well, I can’t tell you that,” he said during an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt.
The US President also described the ongoing clashes as a “mini war,” reported CBS News. Speaking to reporters at a small business-focused event at the White House, Trump said: “Our country is booming now, despite the fact that we’re in a — I call it a mini war.”
However, in an earlier interview with Fox News, Trump emphasized that war with Iran, “militarily … is essentially over.”
CENTCOM commander also declined to reveal details about the ceasefire. “I wouldn’t go into details of whether the ceasefire is over or not,” he told reporters.
“What we saw this morning with Iran initiating aggressive behavior, we were simply going to respond to that specifically with the president’s direction,” he added.
