The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) refuted the claims made by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran that they had targeted two US Navy destroyers and multiple oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz. In a statement released on Wednesday, CENTCOM firmly stated that this was “completely false news”.
CENTCOM emphasized, “All of the Revolutionary Guard’s attempted attacks have ended in failure, with no US Navy warships being hit.”
In response to Iran’s recent barrage of missile attacks on American vessels, the US military disclosed that they have destroyed 10 Iranian oil tankers in the past week alone, with 5 being destroyed just on Tuesday. They also released videos showing the ships catching fire before sinking. The US authorities pointed out that these vessels were part of a multi-billion dollar “shadow network” used to fund the Revolutionary Guard, and that “Iran simply cannot protect them.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned on Tuesday that attacks on US warships would lead to further consequences for Tehran.
“Iran continues to try to strike US naval vessels, and each time they do so or attempt to do so, they lose oil tankers,” Rubio told reporters during a visit to Colombia.
On Wednesday, Iran launched ballistic missiles towards a US base near Al Azraq in Jordan. The Jordanian military reported successfully intercepting 18 out of 20 missiles, with the remaining two landing in uninhabited areas.
US officials confirmed that the attack did not have its intended effect, and all American personnel in Jordan were confirmed to be safe, refuting the Iranian official media’s claim of causing “serious damage.”
Additionally, the IRGC released photos on Tuesday claiming to have captured a US unmanned underwater vehicle (Dive-LD) at the entrance of the Strait of Hormuz. According to reports from Reuters, this 19-foot autonomous underwater vehicle was manufactured by the California defense company Anduril. The company had previously stated that the vehicle could be used for tasks such as underwater topography mapping, intelligence gathering, and inspecting underwater infrastructure.
The Pentagon and Anduril clarified that the small underwater vehicle had malfunctioned over a day before, and that the model was outdated and did not carry any sensitive data or classified equipment.
The escalating conflict between the US and Iran, combined with attacks on Saudi Arabian energy facilities, has disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns about global energy supply. Brent crude oil prices surged to over $100 per barrel, while US diesel retail prices reached a historic high.
The United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran on February 28 to curb its nuclear program. In response, Iran used disrupting the strategic waterway of the Strait of Hormuz as a countermeasure. Washington responded by blocking Iranian ports and claimed to have been able to guide many oil tankers through the strait, swiftly restoring passage capacity.