NEW YORK, May 6. /TASS/. US military personnel were on board two US commercial vessels that crossed the Strait of Hormuz on May 4, the NBC News television channel reported, citing US officials.

"Iran targeted both ships with missiles, drones and armed small boats, but the US military intercepted the attacks and blew up the small boats," the Pentagon told NBC. The television channel clarified that this was the first known instance of US military personnel being directly on board commercial vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz.

One of the US officials called the military’s presence a "prudent security measure."