US targets Iranian fast boats amid tensions in the Strait of Hormuz
US targets Iranian: The US has targeted Iranian fast boats in the Strait of Hormuz as part of efforts to protect commercial shipping in the region. This action comes amid heightened tensions following an Iranian assault on a key oil site in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
US military protection for commercial vessels
Shipping company Maersk reported that one of its US-flagged commercial vessels successfully exited the Strait of Hormuz under US military protection. The vessel, named Alliance Fairfax, had been stranded in the Gulf since air strikes by the US and Israel on Iran earlier this year.
Maersk stated that the transit was completed without incident and that all crew members were safe and unharmed. The company confirmed that the vessel was accompanied by US military assets during its exit from the Persian Gulf, a move described by President Donald Trump as part of “Project Freedom.”
Details of the US strikes and Iranian response
President Trump announced that the US military had struck seven Iranian “fast boats” in the Strait of Hormuz. The US military said helicopters were used to attack the boats, which Trump described as “all they have left.”
However, Iranian state media disputed this claim. The Tasnim news agency, citing a military source, reported that two small cargo vessels were hit instead, resulting in the deaths of five civilians. Iran also denied US claims that its forces fired warning shots at a US warship, a statement the US military rejected.
Recent attacks in the Gulf and regional reactions
The UAE and South Korea reported strikes on ships in the Strait of Hormuz on the same day. The UAE also experienced a fire at its oil port of Fujairah following an Iranian attack. Local authorities said air defenses engaged multiple ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones during the incident.
One strike caused a large fire and injured three people at Fujairah, a critical oil port on the UAE’s eastern coast along the Gulf of Oman. The UAE’s foreign ministry confirmed that a tanker affiliated with its state-owned oil company, Adnoc, was hit in the Strait of Hormuz.
Abu Dhabi described the attacks as a “dangerous escalation” and reserved the right to respond. Iranian state television quoted an unnamed military official denying any plans to target the UAE.
International leaders condemned the attacks on UAE infrastructure. French President Emmanuel Macron called the strikes “unjustified and unacceptable,” while British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer affirmed the UK’s commitment to supporting Gulf partners’ defense.
Impact on shipping and oil markets
The Strait of Hormuz remains largely blocked following US and Israeli air strikes on Iran earlier this year. Iran responded by blocking this crucial waterway, through which about 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas typically passes.
Although a ceasefire was announced in early April, allowing Iran to end drone and missile strikes on Gulf countries, few vessels have been able to transit the strait since. The US has also imposed a blockade on Iranian ports.
The recent attacks and ongoing tensions have affected global oil prices. The benchmark Brent crude oil price rose above $115 a barrel shortly after reports of the Fujairah attack, marking an increase of more than 5% on the day.
Fujairah serves as an alternative oil export route for the UAE, with pipelines from Abu Dhabi’s oilfields allowing crude to be loaded onto tankers beyond the Strait of Hormuz blockade.
Humanitarian concerns and ongoing efforts
Since the conflict began, an estimated 20,000 seafarers on around 2,000 ships have been stranded in the Gulf. President Trump announced that the US would assist stranded vessels in exiting the shipping lane under “Project Freedom.”
He noted that countries worldwide had requested US help to free their ships, which are neutral and innocent bystanders in the conflict. While Trump threatened to use force if the humanitarian process was interfered with, details on how the ships would be safely escorted were not provided.
Meanwhile, in Oman, two people were injured when a residential building was targeted in Bukha, located along the Strait of Hormuz coastline.