MOSCOW, May 5. /TASS/. At least five people have been killed as a result of a United States attack on two cargo vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian news agency Tasnim reported, citing a source in military circles.
The US military personnel have received the authority to strike the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) boats and the Iranian missile positions when they threaten vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, Axios reporter Barak Ravid said, citing a Washington administration official.
TASS has compiled the main points regarding the situation in the region.
Attack on cargo vessels
- At least five people died as a result of a United States attack on two cargo vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian news agency Tasnim reported, citing a source in military circles.
- According to the news agency, the civilian cargo vessels were traveling from Oman’s Port of Khasab toward Iran’s coast.
- The incident surfaced after reports that the US had sunk several Iranian boats were confirmed.
- The US military helicopters sank six small Iranian boats in the Strait of Hormuz, the Associated Press reported earlier, citing US Central Command head Admiral Brad Cooper.
- Iran denied the claims, stating that the United States sank no Iranian Navy vessels on May 4.
Statements from the US side
- On May 3, President Donald Trump said the US would begin operation Project Freedom on the morning of May 4, Middle Eastern time, to guide conflict-trapped vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz.
- Trump said the operation would focus on safely extracting vessels from the Strait of Hormuz.
- The president also threatened to use force if the humanitarian process faced any interference.
- The US controls the Strait of Hormuz and is blockading the movement of vessels to and from Iranian ports, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in an interview with Fox News on May 4.
Iran’s position
- Any vessel refusing Iranian transit instructions for the Strait of Hormuz will be stopped by force, IRGC representative Hossein Mohebbi said.
- He stressed that all shipping companies and maritime insurers must heed IRGC notifications.
- Iran has prevented US warships from transitingthe Strait of Hormuz.
- The Iranian army’s naval forces stated on May 4 that they had prevented US destroyers from transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
- The Iranian army attacked a US warship that ignored warnings and tried to transit the Strait of Hormuz, the Fars news agency reported.
- Two Iranian missiles hit the target, forcing the warship to turn back, the news agency added.
- The US Central Command reported that the US warships sustained no damage from the Iranian attacks.
- The US military personnel have received the authority to strike the IRGC boats and the Iranian missile positions when they threaten vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, Axios reporter Barak Ravid said, citing a Washington administration official.
- The Iranian army stated that it fired warning shots at US Navy warships attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
Situation in the UAE
- A fire broke out at an oil complex in Fujairah, UAE, due to a drone strike, the Emirati government’s press office reported on May 4.
- Later, the press office reported that an Iranian drone strike on an oil complex in Fujairah injured three Indian citizens.
- The statement said the injured were moderately hurt and hospitalized.
- Iran had no intent or target to attack the UAE, Iranian state TV and radio reported, citing a senior military official.
- The UAE strongly condemned Iran’s renewed strikes on its civilian facilities and reserved the right to respond, the Foreign Ministry said.
- All UAE schools are switching to remote learning from May 5 through May 8, the Education Ministry reported.
- The UAE’s aviation authorities partially closed the country’s airspace, a source in Middle Eastern air traffic control told TASS.
- The UAE’s regional interests will become Iranian military targets if Abu Dhabi takes any irrational actions toward Tehran, Iranian news agency Tasnim reported.
- Fires at UAE oil facilities are a direct consequence of the US operation to ensure passage for certain vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian news agency NourNews reported, citing a source.
- India condemned the Fujairah port attack that injured three of its citizens and called for an immediate Middle East ceasefire, Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said.
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the attack on the port in the emirate of Fujairah unacceptable.