U.S. sinks Iranian gunboats, downs missiles heading for ships in Strait of Hormuz
by Mike Glenn · The Washington TimesU.S. forces on Monday sank six small Iranian gunboats and intercepted several drones and cruise missiles that were targeting military and commercial vessels operating in the Strait of Hormuz.
Shipping through the maritime chokepoint has been largely blocked by Iran since late February, when U.S. and Israeli forces launched an air war against Tehran that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
U.S. forces then instituted a blockade on Iran’s ports, halting a major source of the country’s income.
“There is no commerce going into and out of Iran, and we will be sustaining this effort,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command. “We’ve now opened a passage through the Strait of Hormuz to allow for the free flow of commerce to proceed.”
U.S. forces have opened a safe pathway through the blockaded strait and have reached out to the maritime industry, encouraging their vessels to pass through the gap, Adm. Cooper said.
The U.S. armada arrayed against Iran includes combat aircraft like tank-killing A-10s, F-15s, F-16s, and F-18s, among others. Adm. Cooper said the naval task force includes two carrier strike groups, an amphibious readiness group, and a Marine expeditionary unit. His subordinate commanders have wide authority to defend their warships, personnel, and commercial vessels.
“The U.S. military has a clear advantage. We have an enormous amount of capability and firepower concentrated in and around the strait,” he said.
Over the past several weeks, U.S. personnel in the region have used “low observable capabilities” to clear a safe path through the Strait of Hormuz. Adm. Cooper said they confirmed the now-open channel, sending Navy destroyers through the Strait of Hormuz.
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“We took a risk,” he said. “We’ve used our own military technology in a unique way to clear a free lane that’s not obstructed in any way, shape or form.”
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has assumed effective control of the country, has launched cruise missile attacks at U.S. warships and commercial vessels. They’ve also sent the small boats to attack the merchant ships, Adm. Coopoer said.
“The United States has assumed the risk for the international community to open the strait,” he said. “The U.S. sets the example for others to follow by supporting the transit of two U.S.-flagged vessels through the strait.”
Commercial ships representing 87 countries remain stranded near the Strait of Hormuz and are innocent bystanders to the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States.
“We’ve reached out to dozens of ships and shipping companies to encourage traffic flow through the strait,” Adm. Cooper said. “This news has been quite enthusiastically received, and we’re already beginning to see movement.
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While the U.S. Navy will protect commercial ship traffic through the strait, the plan isn’t to escort each ship individually past the danger zones controlled by Iran, Adm. Cooper said.
“We have a much better defense arrangement. We have multiple layers - ships, helicopters, and electronic warfare. We have defeated each and every one of Iran’s threats through the clinical applications of defensive munitions.”
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.