JAKARTA - Ships trapped in the Persian Gulf due to navigation restrictions by the United States and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz represent 87 countries, said CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper, Monday.
The ships are neutral parties and are not involved in the conflict, Cooper said, quoted by Antara from Sputnik, referring to US President Donald Trump's statement as shared in the content of the US Central Command X account statement.
He added that US forces had communicated with dozens of ships and shipping companies to encourage the resumption of normal traffic flows through the strategic waterway.
A day earlier, Trump announced "Project Freedom" to help ships trapped in the Strait of Hormuz and wanting to leave the area amid rising tensions.
CENTCOM said military support for the initiative includes guided missile destroyers, more than 100 land- and sea-based aircraft, and multi-domain unmanned platforms.
In addition, about 15,000 military personnel were deployed in the operation, which CENTCOM said began Monday morning Middle Eastern time.
Iranian media, IRIB, reported that the Iranian military prevented the US ship from passing by attacking a warship with two missiles. This claim was later denied by CENTCOM.
According to CENTCOM, no US ships were hit by the attack, and operations in the region continued as planned to maintain the security of international shipping lanes.
Trump previously warned Iran that it would face major consequences if it tried to target US ships around the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy trade.
Tensions in the region have raised concerns about disruptions to global oil supplies, while diplomatic and military efforts continue to ensure freedom of navigation remains intact.
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