DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. military said Monday that two American-flagged merchant ships had successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz after it launched a new initiative to restore traffic. The United Arab Emirates meanwhile issued three missile alerts and authorities said an Iranian drone hit an oil facility.
Iran has effectively controlled the strait since the U.S. and Israel launched the war in late February. Breaking Iran’s chokehold would ease global economic concerns and deny Tehran a major source of leverage in talks aimed at ending the war. But U.S. President Donald Trump's latest effort also risks reigniting full-scale fighting as the U.S. and Iran steadily ramp up pressure.
The United Arab Emirates issued its first three missile alerts since a ceasefire reached in early April and accused Iran of targeting an oil tanker. The eastern emirate of Fujairah said an Iranian drone sparked a fire at an oil facility, and a monitoring center operated by the British military said a cargo ship was ablaze off the UAE coast.
An explosion and fire meanwhile broke out aboard a South Korean-operated ship anchored in the strait, though its cause was unknown, the South Korean government said.
In another sign of possible escalation, Iran claimed to have struck a U.S. Navy vessel near the strait. The U.S. denied the claim.
Iran's effective closure of the strait, which runs between Iran and Oman, has caused a spike in worldwide fuel prices and rattled the global economy. The U.S.-led Joint Maritime Information Center is now advising ships to cross the strait in Oman’s waters, saying it set up an “enhanced security area.”
It was unclear whether shipping companies, and their insurers, will feel comfortable taking the risk given that Iran has fired on ships in the waterway and vowed to keep doing so. Iran has said the new U.S. effort is a violation of the fragile ceasefire that has held for more than three weeks.
Trump warns of ‘forceful’ response if Iran interferes
The U.S. military’s Central Command said the two American-flagged merchant ships were “safely headed on their journey” after transiting the Strait of Hormuz. It said Navy guided-missile destroyers in the Persian Gulf were helping to restore traffic.
Its statement on X said that U.S. destroyers had also transited the strait. It did not say when the Navy ships arrived or when the merchant vessels departed.
Source: WPLG
