US denies Iran claims of attack on US vessel near Strait of Hormuz | Today’s news
The US is denying Iran’s claim that it shot down an unmanned US vessel that was trying to enter the Strait of Hormuz, calling the allegation a “total lie” amid rising tensions following a fresh exchange of attacks between Washington and Tehran.
The incident came a day after the US military said it had struck three Iranian oil tankers in retaliation for attacks on US Navy warships. Analysts have described the escalation as particularly dangerous because previous Iranian attacks at sea have increasingly targeted commercial shipping.
The latest confrontation comes as the six-month conflict between the US and Iran continues despite a fragile ceasefire announced in June. Fighting continued intermittently while diplomatic efforts to end the conflict stalled.
The US and Iran have resumed attacks after weeks of relative calm
Both countries resumed military offensives last week after about a month of relative calm.
The latest strikes have targeted the Strait of Hormuz and areas along Iran’s southern coast. At least five people were killed earlier in the week during US bombing, reviving memories of the initial phase of the conflict when a school was hit.
The war began on February 28 with US and Israeli attacks on Iran. Since then, both sides have been trying to inflict military and economic damage on the other side.
The Trump administration is pursuing a two-pronged strategy — responding militarily to attacks around the Strait of Hormuz while targeting financial institutions and entities accused of helping Iran move money.
Meanwhile, Iran has struggled to withstand decades of sanctions and a US blockade of its ports. Tehran has continued to look for ways to sell its oil, relying in part on a shadow fleet of vessels that transport oil to international buyers.
The Strait of Hormuz is becoming a key battleground
The Strait of Hormuz has become Iran’s most important source of leverage in the conflict.
The waterway was considered an international shipping route before the war and is crucial for global oil and gas supplies.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Sunday that around 9 million barrels of oil a day are currently passing through the strait. His estimate appeared higher than average flows recorded over the previous 28 days by TankerTrackers.com and other sources.
Wright told CNN that when regional pipeline supplies are also taken into account, energy flows could reach about two-thirds or more of pre-conflict levels.
However, the continued movement of the tankers is largely dependent on the presence of the US Navy, which has escorted the vessels and provided protection against possible Iranian attacks.
Wright said he expects other countries to eventually contribute to efforts to protect shipping on the waterway.
US attacked Iranian oil tankers
The latest escalation followed US strikes on three Iranian oil tankers.
Washington said the attacks were carried out after Iranian forces attacked US Navy warships with ballistic missiles.
The US has also increasingly sought to exert economic pressure on Iran by targeting foreign financial institutions and networks accused of facilitating Iranian oil sales and other transactions.
Tehran responded by maintaining pressure around the Strait of Hormuz and threatening vessels that use routes it does not approve.
The latest alleged attack on an unmanned US vessel, which Washington denies, underscores the growing risk of miscalculation on the waterway.
Iran’s nuclear program remains unresolved
The conflict initially centered mainly on Iran’s nuclear program, which was also expected to be the main topic of negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
Those talks collapsed shortly after the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding in mid-June.
Diplomats now say the United States, Britain, France and Germany are seeking to refer Iran to the UN Security Council, accusing Tehran of failing to meet its obligations under the global nuclear non-proliferation framework.
With stalled negotiations, tightening sanctions and ongoing military confrontations around Hormuz, the strategic waterway remains at the center of the US-Iran conflict – with any further attacks on commercial or military vessels carrying the risk of a much wider escalation.
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