On Monday (May 4), Commander Brad Cooper of the United States Central Command stated that Iran first initiated provocations in the Hormuz Strait, prompting a response from the US military. Six Iranian small boats were sunk in the incident.
Cooper, in a call with reporters, declined to confirm whether the ceasefire between Iran and the United States had ended. “I will not disclose whether the ceasefire agreement has ended,” he said. “I believe the key for us is that we are just a defensive force, providing tight security for commercial shipping to continue to sail out of the Persian Gulf.”
However, Cooper pointed out that it was Iran who first instigated the incident in the Hormuz Strait on Monday. “What we witnessed this morning was Iran taking aggressive actions first. We are simply responding in accordance with the president’s instructions,” he stated.
Cooper mentioned that the US military has cleared a path in the Hormuz Strait from Iranian mines to ensure that cargo ships can smoothly pass through this narrow waterway. He also mentioned that a “defense umbrella” has been deployed, including helicopters and fighter jets, to protect merchant vessels exiting the strait.
The Central Command Commander also revealed that US military helicopters sunk six Iranian small boats in the Hormuz Strait, which had previously targeted civilian ships.
He stated that the Iranian vessels were “strongly advised to stay away from US military facilities in the region.”
Iran’s official news agency, IRNA, rejected Cooper’s claims, stating that no so-called “fast boats” were destroyed on Monday.
This incident marks the latest test of the ceasefire agreement between Iran and the United States.
A senior US military commander stated on Monday that Iran launched multiple cruise missiles, drones, and small boat attacks towards the ships protected by the US military.
Cooper affirmed that all threats were thwarted.
The US is implementing President Trump’s “Free Seas Initiative” announced on Sunday (May 3). The initiative aims to assist stranded commercial vessels in safely navigating out of the Hormuz Strait.
President Trump warned Iran when announcing this initiative on Sunday that if any interference occurs, the US military will respond forcefully.
(This article references reports from the Associated Press and CNN.)