CENTCOM commander reports no IRGC presence in Strait of Hormuz

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) leader Admiral Brad Cooper said that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval units, which previously maintained a near-constant presence in the Strait of Hormuz, were not observed during his recent flight over the waterway. He noted dozens of commercial ships of various types transiting the strait alongside U.S. air and sea assets, and added, "> I didn't see the IRGC out there, at all."

Cooper attributed the disappearance of IRGC vessels to U.S. precision strikes that have sunk Iranian naval craft, stating, "> They were not out there because Iran's navy is all at the bottom of the sea."

Iran’s navy, however, continued to assert control over the strait, warning commercial vessels that a southern route near Oman's coast is "contaminated with mines" and that owners and crews could be held responsible for using it, according to state media. The same outlets reported that Iran’s navy destroyed a U.S. boat and that two tankers struck sea mines on the eastern side of Hormuz.

CENTCOM refuted the IRGC claim that a U.S. unmanned surface vessel had been destroyed, posting on X that the allegation was false and that all U.S. sea drones operating in the region remain accounted for.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a vessel was hit by an unknown projectile 40 nautical miles south of Lavan Island, causing a fire but no injuries or environmental damage.

Cooper also highlighted that U.S. forces have helped Gulf nations export more than 1.5 billion barrels of crude oil since the summer, while Iran has been unable to ship oil following the re-imposition of the U.S. naval blockade in mid-July.