The US military said on Monday it destroyed six Iranian small boats and intercepted Iranian cruise missiles and drones fired by Tehran as the US launched a campaign to free shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The head of Central Command, US Admiral Brad Cooper, declined to comment on whether he thought the ceasefire that began on April 8 would remain in effect. But he acknowledged ongoing efforts by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to “interfere” with President Donald Trump’s operation to open the vital waterway to commercial traffic.
“The IRGC has launched multiple cruise missiles, drones and small boats at the ships we are protecting. We have defeated all those threats through the clinical use of defensive weapons,” he said.
Cooper said he “strongly advised” Iranian forces to stay away from U.S. military assets when launching the operation, which he said included 15,000 U.S. troops, U.S. Navy destroyers, more than 100 land- and sea-based aircraft, and undersea assets.
“The U.S. commanders who are on the scene have all the authority they need to protect their units and protect commercial shipping,” he said.
Asked whether US forces were escorting the ships, Cooper said there were no conventional escorts, but rather a large, multi-layered defensive arrangement that included ships, helicopters, aircraft and electronic warfare to defend against Iranian threats.
“If you’re escorting a ship, you’re playing one-on-one. I think we have a much better defensive system in the process,” he said. “If you were just escorting we would have a much more comprehensive defensive package than you would have.”
Cooper said the U.S. blockade of Iran, which prevents ships from sailing to Iran or departing from Iranian territory, also remained effective and exceeded expectations. – Reuters
