Two US Destroyers Enter the Persian Gulf, Washington Declares Absolute Control Over the Strait of Hormuz

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that two US Navy guided-missile destroyers have entered the Persian Gulf to break Iran's blockade, and two US-flagged commercial vessels have successfully completed their transit through the Strait of Hormuz. This move comes immediately after Tehran claimed to have intercepted a US warship approaching the strait.

"Project Freedom" — Washington's Commercial Escort Operation

CENTCOM stated that US forces are executing "Project Freedom" under orders from President Donald Trump, aiming to "lead out" commercial vessels trapped in the Persian Gulf due to the US-Israel war against Iran, while simultaneously imposing a blockade on Iranian seaports.

CENTCOM announced that this operation will be supported by 15,000 military personnel, over 100 land- and sea-based aircraft, along with warships and drones. In its official statement, CENTCOM emphasized: "US forces are actively supporting efforts to restore the safe passage of commercial maritime traffic."

President Trump shared on the Truth Social network: "We have informed these Nations that we will safely lead their vessels out of these Restricted Waters, so that they can freely and smoothly resume their business."

However, the US leader did not provide specific details on the operation's deployment mechanism. According to Axios reporter Barak Ravid, this plan may not necessarily involve the direct escort of commercial ships.

Iran Warns of Attacks — Crude Oil Experiences High Volatility

Earlier, Iran claimed to have forced a US warship to turn back at the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency reported that two missiles struck the vessel near the port of Jask, a claim CENTCOM entirely refuted. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that their forces had fired warning shots and it remained unclear whether the US ship sustained any damage.

The Iranian Navy claimed to have blocked "US-Zionist" warships from entering the strait area with "swift and decisive warnings." Iran's unified command also issued a stern message to commercial vessels and oil tankers: "We have repeatedly affirmed that the security of the Strait of Hormuz is in our hands and the safe passage of ships must be coordinated with our armed forces... We warn that any foreign armed forces, particularly the aggressive US Military, will be attacked if they attempt to approach and enter the Strait of Hormuz."

The crude oil market reacted strongly—oil prices surged 5% immediately following the initial reports of the intercepted US warship, before paring gains to about half. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent affirmed on Fox News that Washington has "absolute control" over the strait.

Hundreds of Commercial Ships Remain Stranded — Shipping Industry Awaits Clear Signals

Since the outbreak of the war, Iran has blockaded nearly all shipping activity in and out of the Persian Gulf—except for its own vessels—driving oil prices up by more than 50%. The maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz, which typically handles about one-fifth of the world's commercial oil and gas output, has been blockaded for the past two months.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) stated that hundreds of commercial vessels and nearly 20,000 seafarers remain unable to transit the strait throughout the duration of the conflict. Hapag-Lloyd confirmed on Monday that voyages through the strait are still not viable.

Shipping and oil industry leaders maintain that only a comprehensive and agreed-upon ceasefire would allow maritime traffic to return to normal—military escorts alone are insufficient.

The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC), led by US naval forces based in Bahrain, has advised vessels to utilize Omani waters to the west of the strait to avoid sea mines, while urging operators to "carefully review risk assessments and routing before undertaking a transit through the strait."

In a related development, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) accused Iran of launching a drone attack against an unladen crude oil tanker owned by the Abu Dhabi state oil company ADNOC as the vessel was attempting to navigate the strait.

Faint Diplomatic Signals — Iran Considers Peace Proposal

On the diplomatic front, a rare bright spot emerged as Pakistan announced that the US had released 22 crew members from an Iranian containership seized by US forces last month. Islamabad—which is actively attempting to mediate—called this a "confidence-building measure."

The US and Israel paused their airstrike campaign against Iran four weeks ago, and both sides have engaged in a round of direct negotiations. However, efforts to organize subsequent meetings have thus far been unsuccessful.

Iranian state media reported that Washington has relayed its response to Tehran's 14-point proposal through Pakistani intermediary channels, and Iran is currently reviewing it. A senior Iranian official confirmed that this proposal aims to end the conflict across all fronts—including Israeli attacks on Lebanon—and prioritizes resolving the maritime standoff first, while the issue of Iran's nuclear program will be deferred to later rounds of negotiations.

Washington is demanding that Tehran surrender its stockpile of over 400 kg of highly enriched uranium—an amount the US deems sufficient to build a nuclear weapon. Iran rejected this, asserting that its nuclear program is entirely for peaceful purposes, though it expressed a willingness to discuss certain restrictions in exchange for the lifting of sanctions—similar to the 2015 agreement that President Trump himself withdrew from.

On the domestic front, President Trump is under mounting pressure to break Iran's grip on the strait amid continuously escalating domestic gasoline prices and the approaching November congressional midterm elections—a crucial political test for the Republican Party.

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Source: Phaata.com (According to Marine Link)

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