Iran accuses US of attacking passenger ships, killing 5 civilians in the Strait of Hormuz

Iran on May 5 accused the US of killing five civilians in the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that American forces had struck passenger vessels, not ships of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as Washington had claimed a day earlier.

Iran's statement contradicted earlier remarks by US Navy Admiral Brad Cooper, who said forces under US Central Command had sunk six IRGC vessels attempting to interfere with a US mission to escort stranded ships out of the Strait. President Donald Trump later raised the tally to seven.

The US operation, dubbed "Project Freedom," shattered a fragile ceasefire reached between Iran and the US on April 8, stoking fears of a renewed conflict.

Iran's state broadcaster IRIB quoted an unnamed Iranian military commander, saying Tehran had launched an investigation following US statements about attacks on IRGC vessels. The probe found no IRGC ships had been hit, but discovered that US forces had "attacked two small vessels carrying people from Khasab on the Omani coast to the Iranian coast on Monday" (May 4).

The attacks destroyed the boats and killed five civilian passengers, the commander said. "The US must be held responsible for this crime," he added. The US military did not immediately comment.

The violence unfolded as Trump seeks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz—a vital maritime corridor that carries about one-fifth of global energy supplies. Iran blockaded the area after US and Israeli strikes on the country on February 28. The closure has driven up global oil and fertilizer prices, raising fears of an economic downturn and a food crisis.

Iran now insists on maintaining control over the Strait of Hormuz and collecting transit fees to compensate for damages caused by the US and Israel.

On May 4, Iran's military warned commercial ships that they would "endanger their own safety" if attempting to pass through the waterway without permission. It also warned US forces that they would face attacks if they approached or entered the area.

Amid the tensions, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported that Iran had launched a drone attack on one of its oil tankers attempting to transit the Strait, and also fired 15 ballistic missiles and four drones into UAE territory. UAE authorities said the strikes caused a large fire at a key oil refinery in the eastern emirate of Fujairah and wounded three Indian nationals.

A South Korean vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, the HMM Namu, also reported being attacked, saying an explosion sparked a fire in its engine room.

The US military, however, said two American-flagged ships passed through the Strait on May 4 with the support of guided-missile destroyers. Global shipping firm Maersk confirmed that the US-flagged vessel Alliance Fairfax left the Persian Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz alongside the US military on May 4.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the events at Hormuz on May 4 "clearly show there is no military solution to a political crisis." Writing on X, he said peace talks with the US were "progressing" with Pakistan's mediation, and urged Washington to "beware of being dragged back into the quagmire by those with ill intent." "The UAE as well," he added. "Project Freedom is Project Deadlock."

Meanwhile, Trump renewed threats against Iran. He told Fox News that Iran would be "blown off the face of the earth" if it attacked US vessels conducting Project Freedom. "We have more weapons and ammunition than ever before, at a much higher level. We have the best equipment. We have bases all over the world, all fully stocked. We can use all of that, and we will, if necessary," he said.