- The US military claims to have sunk six small Iranian boats in the Strait of Hormuz, alleging they were interfering with commercial shipping and targeting US military vessels.
- Iran has denied the US navy's report, having previously warned that any foreign forces, particularly the US army, would be attacked if they approached the Strait.
- This came after US Central Command denied Iranian claims that two Iranian missiles struck a US warship intending to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
- US president Donald Trump vowed in an interviee with Fox News’ Trey Yingst to free commercial ships stranded in the waterway as part of “Project Freedom” and warned Iran that they could be “blown off the face of the Earth” if they attacked US vessels.
- These incidents shattered a period of relative calm in the Gulf region following a Pakistani-mediated ceasefire, indicating a significant escalation of tensions.
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