Iran warns US forces against entering Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s military said on Monday that US forces would be attacked if they entered the Strait of Hormuz, after US President Donald Trump announced Washington would begin escorting ships through the blocked waterway.
“We warn that any foreign armed force—especially the aggressive US military—if they intend to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz, will be targeted and attacked,” said Major General Ali Abdollahi of the Iranian military’s central command, in a statement carried by state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).
“We have repeatedly stated that the security of the Strait of Hormuz is under the control of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran and under all circumstances, any safe passage must be coordinated with these forces,” he added.
This came as the United States kicked off an effort to “guide” stranded ships from the Iran-gripped Strait of Hormuz, as it tries to counter economic disruptions that outlasted the peak of fighting with no peace deal in sight.
A day after US President Donald Trump announced what he called “Project Freedom,” the Joint Maritime Information Center said on Monday that the United States had set up an “enhanced security area” south of typical shipping routes and urged mariners to coordinate closely with Omani authorities “due to anticipated high traffic volume.” The Strait sits between Iranian and Omani territory.
‘Extremely hazardous’
The center warned that passing close to the usual routes, known as the traffic separation scheme, “should be considered extremely hazardous due to the presence of mines that have not been fully surveyed and mitigated.”
The US-led maritime task force’s announcement marked the start of the effort to revive traffic and restore confidence among commercial vessels transiting the strait. It risked unraveling the fragile ceasefire that has held even without progress on the issues that sparked the war.
It was unclear as of Monday morning whether any vessels had accepted the US offer and Iran’s military command told state broadcaster IRIB on Monday that ships passing must coordinate with them.
The disruption of the waterway through which roughly one‑fifth of the world’s oil typically passes has become one of the most enduring consequences of the war that the United States and Israel launched Feb. 28. It has squeezed countries in Europe and Asia that depend on Persian Gulf supplies and added new volatility to energy prices for households and businesses worldwide.
