Tensions in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz escalated after Iranian state media reported that a U.S. warship was struck by missiles while attempting to pass through the contested waterway.

According to Iran’s Fars news agency, two missiles hit a U.S. Navy frigate near Jask Island after it allegedly ignored warnings from Iran’s navy. The report cited unnamed sources in southern Iran and claimed the vessel was turned back following the incident. The account has not been independently verified, and U.S. officials have not publicly confirmed the report.

The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical transit routes, has been at the center of rising tensions since Iran imposed a blockade on foreign shipping earlier this year. The move followed a U.S.-Israeli military strike on Feb. 28 that killed Iran’s former supreme leader and triggered a broader regional conflict.

In recent days, Iran’s military has warned the United States against entering the waterway, calling any such move a violation of an existing ceasefire. The warnings came after President Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces would begin efforts to “help free up” vessels stranded in the strait.

Trump described the planned operation as a humanitarian effort, noting that many ships in the area are running low on food and supplies. Iranian officials, however, have rejected that characterization, arguing that any U.S. intervention would escalate tensions and undermine the ceasefire.

The situation has been further complicated by competing economic measures. Iran’s blockade has disrupted global shipping, while the United States responded on April 13 with a counter-blockade targeting vessels using Iranian ports.

Source: The Guardian