US Rejects Iranian Claim of Warship Attacks in Gulf

The United States military has denied claims by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that Iranian forces hit two American vessels and eight commercial oil tankers in the Persian Gulf region. U.S. Central Command stated that all attempted attacks by Iran failed and confirmed that no American Navy warships were damaged in the incidents.

The military exchanges along the Strait of Hormuz have heightened regional hostilities, driving global Brent crude oil prices to $100 a barrel on Wednesday as both sides traded strikes along the critical shipping passage.

Contested Claims and Tanker Strikes

According to a statement released by Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim News Agency, the Revolutionary Guard claimed it targeted the vessels after they entered an area of the Strait of Hormuz designated by Tehran as unsafe and forbidden. Iran stated the strikes were carried out in retaliation for the destruction of five Iranian oil tankers by U.S. forces a day prior.

U.S. Central Command disputed the Iranian claims, stating: “No U.S. Navy warship has been struck; all IRGC attempted attacks failed.” U.S. officials stated that American forces have destroyed 10 Iranian oil tankers over the past week, describing the vessels as part of an illicit financial network funding the Revolutionary Guard.

The U.S. military confirmed it hit five Iranian tankers on Tuesday after Iranian forces fired ballistic missiles at an American warship twice over a two-day period. The targeted tankers included four vessels in the Gulf of Oman—the M/T Kaviz, M/T Charminar, M/T Horizon 1, and M/T Riesco—and the M/T Derya near Kharg Island. U.S. Central Command noted that crews were instructed to abandon the vessels before they were rendered inoperable, adding that no American personnel were injured during the missile attacks.

Economic Strategy and Political Reactions

The military engagement comes as the U.S. administration shifts its policy toward economic pressure on Tehran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi publicly criticized the American strategy on social media, questioning U.S. policy decisions by writing, “Washington’s ‘novel’ solution is…more sanctions. Seriously?”

Earlier in the week, U.S. forces destroyed three additional Iranian tankers on Saturday following previous unsuccessful ballistic missile attacks aimed at a U.S. aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer.

Dispute Over Captured Submersible

Alongside the naval strikes, both nations issued conflicting accounts regarding an autonomous undersea vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media outlet Fars reported that the Revolutionary Guard captured an advanced U.S. unmanned submarine, publishing video footage and photographs of the craft. Iranian news outlets identified the vessel as a Dive-LD autonomous undersea vehicle, manufactured by defense firm Anduril and valued at $2.5 million.

U.S. Navy Captain Tim Hawkins countered the Iranian claims, stating that the vehicle was an older, malfunctioning drone that carried no classified radar or sonar equipment and had collected no sensitive data. A representative from manufacturer Anduril described the craft as an “attritable autonomous system” designed to operate in high-risk underwater environments where operational loss is anticipated.

Background

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow maritime passage between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, serving as one of the world’s most strategic bottlenecks for global petroleum exports. Tensions in the waterway have frequently flared into military confrontations, with unmanned systems and autonomous watercraft playing an increasingly prominent role in surveillance, rescue, and strike operations in regional waters.