On Thursday, three U.S. Navy destroyers were attacked with missiles, drones, and small boats while they were passing through the Strait of Hormuz, according to U.S. Central Command. In a statement released on Thursday...
On Thursday, three U.S. Navy destroyers were attacked with missiles, drones, and small boats while they were passing through the Strait of Hormuz, according to U.S. Central Command.
In a statement released on Thursday morning, CENTCOM reported that Iranian forces fired “multiple missiles, drones, and small boats” at the USS Truxtun (DDG-103), USS Rafael Peralta (DDG-115), and USS Mason (DDG-87) as they moved through this important waterway into the Gulf of Oman. The U.S. military confirmed that no American ships were hit during the incident.
“U.S. forces intercepted unprovoked attacks from Iran and responded with self-defense strikes,” CENTCOM stated. They added that American forces targeted Iranian missile and drone launch sites, as well as command and control facilities involved in the attack.
President Donald Trump later described the incident in very aggressive terms, claiming that Iranian forces were “completely destroyed.”
“Missiles were shot at our destroyers and were easily knocked down,” Trump stated on social media. “Drones also came and were incinerated while in the air.”
Trump further claimed that several Iranian small boats “went to the bottom of the sea, quickly and efficiently,” warning Tehran that the U.S. would retaliate “a lot harder and a lot more violently” if Iran did not agree quickly to a broader deal regarding its nuclear program.
“Our three destroyers, along with their wonderful crews, will now rejoin our Naval Blockade, which is truly a ‘Wall of Steel,’” Trump added.
This incident marks a significant escalation in the tensions surrounding the Hormuz Strait and is one of the most clearly recognized naval confrontations between U.S. and Iranian forces to date.
Project Freedom Paused
The clash follows closely on the heels of the Trump administration's announcement of “Project Freedom,” a U.S.-backed initiative aimed at assisting stranded commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf by providing an enhanced security corridor in Omani waters. After evacuating two U.S.-flagged ships through the Strait of Hormuz, President Trump suddenly paused the operation less than 48 hours after it began, though the wider U.S. naval blockade targeting Iranian ports remains active.
This week, Iran had consistently warned that any U.S. military intervention in the Strait of Hormuz would be viewed as a violation of the fragile ceasefire that has tenuously held since April. Iranian officials and state media claimed that U.S. warships had been hit near the Strait, claims that CENTCOM repeatedly denied.
Thursday's exchanges appear to be the first time that the U.S. military has officially confirmed that American destroyers were directly targeted during an operation.
This confrontation also highlights the growing disconnect between military messages and the political rhetoric surrounding this crisis.
While Trump labeled Iranian forces as “lunatics” and portrayed the clash as part of efforts to pressure Tehran into signing a deal “FAST,” CENTCOM emphasized in its statement that it “does not seek escalation” and is focused on protecting American forces as well as maintaining freedom of navigation in international waters.
The Strait of Hormuz usually accommodates about one-fifth of the world's seaborne oil trade; however, commercial traffic in this area is largely paralyzed due to missile attacks, drone strikes, sea mine threats, and increasing war-risk insurance costs.
CMA CGM Ship Attacked
The recent naval clash coincided with worsening conditions for commercial shipping in the area. French shipping company CMA CGM confirmed on Wednesday that its Malta-flagged containership San Antonio was struck while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, injuring several crew members and damaging the vessel. The International Maritime Organization reported that eight crew members were injured, making this the 32nd shipping incident reported since the conflict escalated.
Another CMA CGM vessel, the Saigon, successfully navigated out of the Gulf this week, traveling along Oman’s coastline south of Muscat.
Shipping Warns Crisis Far from Over
Industry groups have continuously warned that commercial shipping operations are unlikely to return to normal until security situations improve and undersea dangers are resolved.
BIMCO, the world's largest shipping association, stated on Wednesday that the sudden decision by the Trump administration to pause “Project Freedom” has complicated the already challenging risk assessments for vessels and crews trying to leave the Persian Gulf.
In comments to gCaptain earlier this week, BIMCO Chief Safety & Security Officer Jakob Larsen noted that the brief existence of the U.S. escort initiative allowed a small number of vessels to pass safely. However, he emphasized that any voyages through the Strait of Hormuz without coordination with Iran still involve “significant risk.”
Larsen also mentioned that sudden changes in policy and operations create additional challenges for commercial operators seeking to evaluate security conditions and plan their departures from the Gulf.
Iranian Tanker Disabled
The naval clash also occurred less than 24 hours after U.S. forces disabled an Iranian-flagged tanker in the Gulf of Oman as part of Washington’s expanded blockade enforcement efforts.
According to CENTCOM, a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet launched from USS Abraham Lincoln fired 20mm cannon rounds at the tanker M/T Hasna after the vessel allegedly ignored multiple warnings while trying to transit toward an Iranian port, in violation of the blockade.
This incident followed a similar interdiction in April involving the Iranian-flagged vessel M/V Touska and showed that, despite the temporary suspension of “Project Freedom,” the larger U.S. naval blockade against Iranian maritime trade remains fully operational.
Seafarers Trapped
The ongoing violence is also increasing the human toll on thousands of seafarers who remain trapped in the Gulf.
In interviews published on Thursday, Indian sailors who have been stranded for weeks near Iranian ports described nightly missile and drone strikes, food shortages, and fears of never returning home.
“Around 10 to 20 missiles struck every night. No one could sleep,” Indian seafarer Tithi Chiranjeevi told Reuters after escaping Iran through Iraq, Armenia, and Dubai.
The Joint Maritime Information Centre estimates that around 2,000 vessels are currently trapped near the Strait of Hormuz, where normal traffic has come to a halt since the conflict began. At least three Indian seafarers are reported to have been killed in the crisis, highlighting rising alarms from industry groups and the International Maritime Organization that civilian crews are increasingly caught in the crossfire of the conflict.