The US military said it battled Iranian forces and sank six small boats as it moved to reopen the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, said American forces have successfully opened a passage through the strait that is free of Iranian mines, the AP reports. He said Iran launched multiple cruise missiles, drones, and small boats at civilian ships under the US military's protection. US military helicopters sank six of the small boats, Cooper said, adding that "each and every" threat had been defeated. "The US commanders who are on the scene have all the authority necessary to defend their unit and to defend commercial shipping—as we saw and demonstrated earlier today," Cooper said.
The attacks appeared to be in response to President Trump's latest efforts to reopen the strait, a critical waterway for global energy. The US military said two American-flagged merchant ships successfully transited the strait on Monday as part of a new initiative.
- In a post on Truth Social, Trump put the number of boats at seven. "Iran has taken some shots at unrelated Nations with respect to the Ship Movement, PROJECT FREEDOM, including a South Korean Cargo Ship," he wrote. Perhaps it's time for South Korea to come and join the mission! We've shot down seven small Boats or, as they like to call them, 'fast' Boats. It's all they have left. Other than the South Korean Ship, there has been, at this moment, no damage going through the Strait."
- The UAE Defense Ministry said Iran had launched four cruise missiles, with three shot down and one falling into the sea. Authorities in the eastern emirate of Fujairah said an Iranian drone sparked a fire at a key oil facility, wounding three Indian nationals. The British military reported two cargo vessels ablaze off the UAE.
- The South Korean government said an explosion and fire had broken out aboard a South Korean-operated ship anchored in the strait off the UAE. No injuries were reported. It was not immediately known if the vessel was one of the burning ships reported by the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, the AP reports.
- IRIB, Iran's state-run broadcaster, said a senior official had denied the US claim that multiple war boats were sunk, the Guardian reports. The official was also quoted as saying that Iran does not intend to target the UAE.
- Oil prices jumped as the conflict appeared to flare up, with Brent crude hitting $115 per barrel, reports the New York Times.
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