MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US destroys six Iranian boats while opening Strait of Hormuz to trade amid threatened ceasefire

The developments put in question a fragile ceasefire in effect since April 7

US military forces on Monday destroyed six Iranian Revolutionary Guard fast boats and neutralised cruise missiles and drones launched against warships and commercial vessels during the first day of “Project Freedom,” the operation announced by President Donald Trump to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic. The two US destroyers that led the transit — the USS Truxtun and USS Mason — passed through the strait without being struck, despite what US Central Command described as a “sustained barrage” of Iranian threats.

“The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched multiple cruise missiles, drones, and small boats at ships we are protecting. We have defeated each and every one of those threats through the clinical application of defensive munitions,” said Admiral Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command (CENTCOM), in a press conference. Apache and Seahawk helicopters supported the destroyers during the transit, while Air Force F-16 fighters provided air cover for the operation alongside more than 100 land- and sea-based aircraft deployed for the mission. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told US media that the country has “absolute control” of the strait.

Iran denied that its fast boats had been destroyed, according to Iranian state television. The Iranian military described its actions as “warning shots,” including missiles and drones, directed at a US naval destroyer attempting to enter the strait. On the same day, Iran attacked a UAE-owned oil tanker with two drones in the area, leaving three people injured, and directed fire at a South Korean cargo vessel. The United Arab Emirates, Egypt, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the United Kingdom all condemned the attacks. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged Iran to “engage meaningfully in negotiations to ensure the ceasefire endures.”

The developments put in question a fragile ceasefire in effect since April 7, when Trump ordered a pause in offensive combat after the US-Israeli strikes against Iranian facilities launched on February 28. Trump himself had declared in a letter to congressional leaders on Friday that “hostilities have terminated,” hours before Monday's engagements were recorded. Defense officials cited by CBS News warned that “we are closer to the resumption of major combat operations than we were 24 hours ago,” though they clarified that no orders to abandon the ceasefire had been received. Trump downplayed the seriousness of the incidents on his Truth Social network, noting that Iran had “taken some shots” that caused “little damage” and urged South Korea to join the mission.

Brent crude traded above $126 a barrel on Monday, its highest level since 2022, in another session of volatility stemming from uncertainty over global energy supply. Some 20% of the world's oil normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz before the conflict began. Project Freedom mobilises more than 15,000 military personnel, 100 aircraft, and a fleet of destroyers to escort merchant vessels that have been trapped since the start of the Iranian blockade imposed on February 28.