Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said Tuesday that 25 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz over the past 24 hours under its coordination and security protection.
In a statement published by the IRGC's official news outlet, Sepah News, the IRGC Navy said the vessels, including oil tankers, container ships and other commercial vessels, safely transited the strategic waterway after obtaining authorization.
The statement added that the IRGC Navy is "firmly carrying out intelligent control" over the Strait of Hormuz, warning that any "act of aggression" would be met with a "strong and crushing response."
On the same day, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the U.S. Navy is quietly assisting commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz as the U.S.-Iran negotiations remain uncertain, citing U.S. military officials.
A Greek supertanker carrying 2 million barrels of crude oil was guided by the U.S. Navy as it crossed the strategic waterway off the Omani coast, according to the WSJ report.
It added that the tanker had been stranded in the Persian Gulf since early March and is now heading to India to deliver its cargo.
The U.S. Navy plans to assist about a dozen vessels, including supertankers and container ships, in transiting the waterway over the coming days, according to the report.
The newspaper later clarified that the U.S. Navy's coordination with commercial ships did not represent a resumption of Project Freedom, a military escort operation announced by U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this month and paused within 48 hours.
A spokesman for the U.S. Central Command confirmed that Washington was not resuming Project Freedom.
Iran tightened its grip on the strait beginning Feb 28, when it barred safe passage of vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States following their joint strikes on Iranian territory.
The United States has also imposed a naval blockade on the strait, preventing ships traveling to and from Iranian ports from transiting the waterway.
25 vessels transit Strait of Hormuz in past 24 hours: Iran's IRGC
