About 97% of the ships that have sought to transit the Strait of Hormuz have done so without being hit by an Iranian projectile, U.S. Central Command spokesman Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins told Fox News Digital.
Hawkins said the U.S. military has helped provide coordinated protection for thousands of ships that have transited safely.
“The vast majority of Iran’s attempted attacks on innocent civilian mariners transiting an international waterway, being the Strait of Hormuz, they are unsuccessful”
In an update Friday, CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said about 400 merchant ships sailed through the strait in the last seven days alone. U.S. forces also helped Gulf partners ship more than 100 million barrels of crude oil in that period, and more than 1.3 billion barrels in recent months, Cooper said.
Cooper said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has kept attacking merchant ships in the strait and has in many cases killed innocent civilian mariners. The International Maritime Organization reports that more than 20 civilian mariners have been killed by Iran’s attacks on commercial shipping since February, he said.
Hawkins spoke after CENTCOM said the GFS Pride, a Singapore-flagged, Cyprus-owned container ship, was hit by an Iranian projectile in the strait on Wednesday. The ship later sank while being towed ashore after a fire on board, CENTCOM said.
At the same time, Hawkins said, U.S. forces are maintaining what he called a steel wall blockade against Iran. There have been no exports or imports to Iran without U.S. permission, apart from humanitarian ships allowed through, he said. More than 50,000 U.S. service members are stationed across the Middle East, according to Hawkins.
Iran gave a different account on Saturday. The Revolutionary Guards Navy said two oil tankers caught fire after hitting naval mines while crossing the strait, the official Iranian news agency IRNA reported, according to Reuters. State media said both tankers were carrying about 2 million barrels of crude oil. There was no independent confirmation of the reports.
IRNA reported that the vessels had switched off their positioning and radar systems and tried to use a route Iran does not authorize through the waterway. The second vessel was left immobilized after striking a mine, IRNA said. In its statement, the Guards Navy declared the strait closed.
Iranian army spokesman Brig. Gen. Mohammad Akraminia said Friday that the strait would reopen if America leaves the region. If it does not leave, he said, Iran would expel it.
Attacks around the waterway have surged over the past two weeks, Reuters reported. Iran has said it is stepping up strikes in response to the U.S. blockade of its ports and tougher sanctions imposed last month.
Have something to promote?
Bring your business, services or event to our readers.
