Iran-US conflict on brink of reigniting as Washington project for stranded ships sets off volleys by both

New York, May 5 (IANS) The conflict between Iran and the US was on the brink of reigniting as Washington’s ‘Project Freedom’ to free ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz set off attacks by both sides, with Tehran also striking neighbours.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) Chief, Admiral Brad Cooper, said on Monday that Iran sent a barrage of cruise missiles and drones at ships in the Strait and the US Navy retaliated shooting them down.

He added that six Iranian speedboats that threatened ships were taken out.

But beyond the Strait, Iran appears to have resumed attacks on its neighbours.

The United Arab Emirates reported that its Fujairah Oil Industry Zone was attacked by Iranian drones and its Defence Ministry said it was fending off drones and missiles.

Oman’s new agency, ONA, reported that a housing complex near the Strait was hit and two expatriates — whose nationality was not disclosed — were injured.

Iran appeared to be targeting other countries directly, rather than the US.

An official statement quoted by Iran’s PressTV said that it had sent missiles and drones “near US warships” rather than at them — a nuanced differentiation.

US President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that a South Korean ship had come under Iranian attack.

No other ships were damaged, he added.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Spokesperson Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi had earlier warned that it would “forcefully” stop any ship trying to break through the blockade his country had imposed, according to the Iranian government’s PressTV.

It also denied that any of its boats had been sunk.

The US denied Iranian claims that two of its missiles had struck its ships.

US CENTCOM Chief Cooper said that ships belonging to 87 countries were stranded in the Strait and the US was reaching out to “dozens of ships and shipping companies to encourage traffic” through the Strait.

The CENTCOM said that two US-flagged ships had already gone through the Strait safely.

On Saturday, an Indian gas ship operating under Marshal Islands flag managed to chart its way through the Strait, but it was not known if there was a deal with Iran for it.

Iran has been demanding tolls for ships to go through the Strait, which the US has condemned and the United Nations has declared illegal under international law.

Neither side has made headway on negotiations to end the confrontation between them, defiant on their demands.

The US would theoretically be free of Congressional restraints from resuming the war full scale because the US CENTCOM Chief said the conflict that began February 28 was truncated by the April 7 ceasefire agreement, short of the 60-day limit for the Legislature’s approval.

He could claim a new cycle was beginning if Iran resumed major attacks.

–IANS

al/khz