The US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said Wednesday that American forces have helped approximately 1,000 vessels and 500 million barrels of crude oil pass through the Strait of Hormuz since early May.
"Fact: The Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway," CENTCOM wrote on US social media platform X. "The IRGC has no authority to dictate routes for free and open traffic flow," it said, referring to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
CENTCOM was responding to what it described as the IRGC's continued claim that international mariners should only use routes preferred by the Iranian force.
The US military said the IRGC had recently threatened and attempted to attack commercial vessels and innocent mariners transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
"Commercial vessels continue to use the strait with U.S. military support," said CENTCOM.
Tensions between the US and Iran have escalated in recent weeks, with Washington carrying out attacks on Iran, and Tehran responding by targeting US military facilities and equipment in countries across the region.
