Bessent says US has 'absolute control' of Strait of Hormuz

Two US-flagged merchant vessels successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz as US Navy guided-missile destroyers operated in the Persian Gulf under Project Freedom to support efforts to restore commercial shipping, US Central Command said on Monday.

US forces are assisting efforts to restore transit for commercial shipping, CENTCOM said in a post on X.

The two vessels were safely continuing their journey after passing through the strait, CENTCOM added.

Brent crude jumped more than 5% on Monday while the dollar strengthened after Iran said it had prevented a US warship from entering the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported.

US stock futures, European equities and bond prices fell as investors reacted to rising tensions in the strategic waterway.

The move followed conflicting reports of military activity in the area, which heightened concerns over global energy supply through the strait, a key oil transit route.

Iran has prepared additional scenarios in the Strait of Hormuz, IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News reported on Monday, citing an unnamed military source.

The source said Iran was ready for “any scenario” and would not allow US combat vessels to pass through the strait without permission from Iran’s armed forces.

“All vessels must learn from the experience of the 40-day war and not pay the price for American foolishness,” the source was quoted as saying.

Iran fired a warning shot at a US warship to prevent it from entering the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported on Monday, citing a senior Iranian official.

It was unclear whether any damage occurred following the shot, according to the report.

The claim follows conflicting reports earlier in the day, with Islamic Revolutionary Guards saying a US ship had been hit by missiles and the US Central Command saying no Navy vessels were struck.

The United Arab Emirates condemned on Monday a drone attack on an ADNOC-affiliated vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, calling it an act of piracy by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards.

The UAE Foreign Ministry said targeting commercial shipping and using the Strait of Hormuz as a pressure tool violated freedom of navigation and UN Security Council resolutions.

The ministry said the vessel was targeted by two drones while transiting the strategic waterway.