By AZE.US
U.S. forces have redirected 96 commercial ships while enforcing Washington’s naval blockade of Iranian ports, as Tehran claimed its forces had struck an uncrewed American vessel near the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Central Command said more than 50 vessels carrying or supporting humanitarian aid had been permitted to pass. It did not immediately provide details about the redirected ships, their cargoes or the period covered by the figure.
Separately, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it attacked an uncrewed U.S. naval vessel at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian media identified the vessel as a “Seadragon” with hull number 5838.
The United States had not publicly confirmed the reported strike at the time of publication, and the Iranian claim could not be independently verified. The vessel’s precise type also remained unclear.
The reported incident comes days after Iran recovered a U.S.-operated Dive-LD autonomous underwater vehicle in the same strategic area. The Pentagon acknowledged losing that drone but said it had malfunctioned more than a day before Iranian forces recovered it.
U.S. officials described the Dive-LD as an older model that carried no classified sonar or radar equipment and collected no sensitive data. Its manufacturer, California-based defense company Anduril, confirmed the loss and said the platform was designed for missions in which the vehicle could be lost.
The maritime confrontation has intensified amid renewed attacks on military and commercial vessels. Iran said it targeted 10 ships near the Strait of Hormuz after the U.S. military sank five Iranian oil tankers. Washington said its strikes followed Iranian attempts to hit a U.S. Navy warship with ballistic missiles.
At least one seafarer was killed and another reported missing during the latest attacks on shipping, according to vessel operators and maritime security reports.
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy routes, has fallen sharply. Oil flows through the waterway recently dropped to about 2 million barrels per day, compared with as much as 8 million to 9 million barrels per day before the latest escalation.
The growing risk to shipping pushed Brent crude above $106 a barrel on Thursday, while U.S. crude also climbed past $100.
Iran has meanwhile suspended a 10% charge on freight fees for foreign vessels carrying oil, gas and other liquid petroleum products to or from the country. The decision appears aimed at reducing transport costs and encouraging foreign shipping companies to continue serving Iranian ports despite the blockade.
AZE.US