Iran denies US claims of sinking its military boats

A senior Iranian military official on Monday dismissed US claims about sinking Iranian military boats in the Strait of Hormuz as “false.”

The state broadcaster IRIB reported the denial, without giving any further details or specifying the military official.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Adm. Brad Cooper earlier said that US forces had “eliminated” six Iranian “small boats” that allegedly tried to interfere with commercial shipping in the strait.

Cooper also said Iran opened fire on US warships and commercial vessels, warning Tehran to stay clear of American military assets, according to US media.

Separately, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said no commercial or oil tanker vessels had passed through the Strait of Hormuz in recent hours, rejecting US statements on maritime activity as “baseless and false,”.

Iran’s navy said it warned US destroyers near the strait and fired warning shots after the vessels ignored alerts, according to IRIB, adding the ships had approached with radar systems turned off.

Army Chief Major General Amir Hatami also said in a post on the US social media company X that US destroyers were met with a “forceful response,” including the deployment of cruise missiles and combat drones.

CENTCOM earlier said US naval forces are operating in the Gulf as part of “Project Freedom” to restore commercial shipping, adding that two US-flagged vessels had successfully transited the strait.

The developments come amid heightened tensions following US and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28 and subsequent retaliatory actions by Tehran.

A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. The truce was later extended by US President Donald Trump without a set deadline.

Since April 13, the United States has enforced a naval blockade targeting Iranian maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.