Iran Rejects US Claims Over Naval Incidents in Strait of Hormuz

(MENAFN) Iran has denied US assertions that its military boats were sunk in the Strait of Hormuz, with a senior Iranian military official dismissing the claims as false, according to state media reports on Monday.

The denial was reported by Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, which did not provide additional details or identify the official making the statement.

The response comes after US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that American forces had “eliminated” six Iranian small boats allegedly attempting to disrupt commercial shipping in the strategic waterway.

US officials also claimed that Iranian forces engaged US warships and commercial vessels, while warning Tehran to stay away from American military assets, according to reports.

In parallel, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) rejected US accounts of maritime activity, stating that no commercial or oil tankers had recently passed through the Strait of Hormuz and describing the US statements as inaccurate.

Iranian naval forces also claimed they issued warnings to US destroyers operating near the strait and fired warning shots after the vessels allegedly ignored instructions. According to Iranian media, the ships were said to have been operating with radar systems turned off.

Separately, Iran’s Army Chief Major General Amir Hatami stated that US naval forces were met with what he described as a strong response, including the use of missiles and drones, according to posts shared on social media.

On the US side, CENTCOM said its naval operations in the Gulf are part of an initiative referred to as “Project Freedom,” aimed at securing commercial maritime routes. It also reported that US-flagged vessels have successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz.

The situation unfolds amid continued regional escalation following earlier US and Israeli strikes on Iran and subsequent retaliatory actions, according to reports.

MENAFN05052026000045017281ID1111069418