The USS Michael Murphy patrolling the Arabian Sea during a maritime blockade in April. AFP
The warships "are currently operating in the Arabian Gulf after transiting the Strait of Hormuz in support of Project Freedom," US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on X, referring to the operation announced by President Donald Trump on Sunday.
"American forces are actively assisting efforts to restore transit for commercial shipping," CENTCOM said, adding that "two US-flagged merchant vessels have successfully transited through the Strait of Hormuz and are safely headed on their journey.
The US-led Joint Maritime Information Center has advised ships to cross the strait in Oman’s waters, saying it set up an “enhanced security area.” US.Central Command did not say when the Navy ships arrived or when the merchant vessels departed.
It was unclear whether shipping companies, and their insurers, will feel comfortable taking the risk given that Iran has fired on ships in the waterway and vowed to keep doing so.
Iran said earlier Monday that it had fired missiles at a US warship in the Strait of Hormuz, accusing it of “violating maritime security and navigation norms.” The reports said the vessel was forced to turn back.
"Following the Zionist American destroyers' disregard for the initial warning, the Navy issued a warning shot by firing cruise missiles, rockets, and combat drones around the aggressor enemy vessels," Iranian state TV said.
Tehran's forces severely restricted transit through the strait to the United States, Israel and their Western allies in response to the US-Israeli war that began on February 28, while Washington is maintaining a blockade of Iranian ports.
On Sunday, Trump gave few details in announcing his plan to reopen the vital waterway, where about a fifth of the world’s trade in oil and natural gas typically passes.
The US military has said the new initiative might involve guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 aircraft and 15,000 service members but has not specified what kind of assistance it would provide.
Trump's announcement that the US would “guide” ships out of the strait warned that Iranian efforts to block them “will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully.”
He described “Project Freedom” in humanitarian terms, designed to aid stranded seafarers, many on oil tankers or cargo ships. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency called “Project Freedom” part of Trump's “delirium.”
Iran, which has denounced any such plans to reopen the strait by force, as a violation of the fragile ceasefire reached in early April, has already offered to end its restrictions if the US lifts its blockade on the country and ends the war in a proposal that would postpone discussions on its nuclear program.
Tehran “will not back down from our position on the Strait of Hormuz, and it will not return to its prewar conditions,” Iran’s deputy parliament speaker, Ali Nikzad, said earlier Sunday.
Iran’s military command on Monday said ships passing must coordinate with them.
“We warn that any foreign military force — especially the aggressive US military — that intends to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz will be targeted,” Maj. Gen. Pilot Ali Abdollahi told state broadcaster IRIB.
The US has warned shipping companies they could face sanctions for paying Iran in any form, including digital assets, to transit the strait safely.
The US naval blockade since April 13 is depriving Tehran of the oil revenue it needs to shore up its ailing economy. The US Central Command on Sunday said 49 commercial ships have been told to turn back.
Trump has indefinitely extended an initial two-week ceasefire that brought a halt to the fighting, but the US-Israel war -- and its widespread economic fallout -- remains unresolved.
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