By ADAM SCHRECK and SAM METZ<\/p>\n
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) \u2014 The U.S. military said Monday that two American-flagged merchant ships had successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz<\/a> after it launched a new initiative<\/a> to restore traffic. The United Arab Emirates meanwhile issued three missile alerts and authorities said an Iranian drone hit an oil facility.<\/p>\n Iran has effectively controlled the strait since the U.S. and Israel launched the war<\/a> in late February. Breaking Iran\u2019s chokehold would ease global economic concerns and deny Tehran a major source of leverage in talks aimed at ending the war. But U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s<\/a> latest effort also risks reigniting full-scale fighting as the U.S. and Iran steadily ramp up pressure.<\/p>\n The United Arab Emirates issued its first three missile alerts since a ceasefire reached in early April and accused Iran of targeting an oil tanker. The eastern emirate of Fujairah said an Iranian drone sparked a fire at an oil facility, and a monitoring center operated by the British military said a cargo ship was ablaze off the UAE coast.<\/p>\n An explosion and fire meanwhile broke out aboard a South Korean-operated ship anchored in the strait, though its cause was unknown, the South Korean government said. <\/p>\n In another sign of possible escalation, Iran claimed to have struck a U.S. Navy vessel near the strait. The U.S. denied the claim. <\/p>\n Iran\u2019s effective closure of the strait, which runs between Iran and Oman, has caused a spike in worldwide fuel prices and rattled the global economy<\/a>. The U.S.-led Joint Maritime Information Center is now advising ships to cross the strait in Oman\u2019s waters, saying it set up an \u201cenhanced security area.\u201d<\/p>\n 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 has said the new U.S. effort is a violation of the fragile ceasefire that has held for more than three weeks.<\/p>\n Trump warns of \u2018forceful\u2019 response if Iran interferes<\/p>\n The U.S. military\u2019s Central Command said the two American-flagged merchant ships were \u201csafely headed on their journey\u201d after transiting the Strait of Hormuz. It said Navy guided-missile destroyers in the Persian Gulf were helping to restore traffic. <\/p>\n Its statement on X said that U.S. destroyers had also transited the strait. It did not say when the Navy ships arrived or when the merchant vessels departed.<\/p>\n Trump\u2019s announcement Sunday that the U.S. would \u201cguide\u201d ships out of the strait warned that Iranian efforts to block them \u201cwill, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully.\u201d<\/p>\n He described \u201cProject Freedom\u201d in humanitarian terms, designed to aid stranded seafarers on hundreds of ships that have been stuck in the Persian Gulf since the war began. Crews have described to The Associated Press<\/a> seeing drones and missiles explode over the waters earlier in the war as their vessels run low on drinking water, food and other supplies.<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s state-run IRNA news agency called the effort part of Trump\u2019s \u201cdelirium.\u201d<\/p>\n Iran stands firm on its grip of the strait<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s military command on Monday said ships passing through the strait must coordinate with them.<\/p>\n \u201cWe warn that any foreign military force \u2014 especially the aggressive U.S. military \u2014 that intends to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz will be targeted,\u201d Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi told state broadcaster IRIB. <\/p>\n The disruption of the waterway has squeezed countries in Europe and Asia that depend on Persian Gulf oil and gas, raising prices far beyond the region<\/a>. <\/p>\n The U.S. has warned shipping companies they could face sanctions for paying Iran for transit of the strait. <\/p>\n The Joint Maritime Information Center urged mariners to coordinate closely with authorities in Oman \u201cdue to anticipated high traffic volume.\u201d It warned that passing close to usual routes \u201cshould be considered extremely hazardous due to the presence of mines that have not been fully surveyed and mitigated.\u201d<\/p>\n The head of security for the Baltic and International Maritime Council, a leading shipping trade group, said no formal guidance or details about the U.S. effort had been issued to the industry. Jakob Larsen questioned whether the effort was sustainable and said it carries a \u201crisk of hostilities breaking out again.\u201d<\/p>\n The United Arab Emirates accused Iran of targeting a tanker linked to its main oil company with two drones as it navigated the strait. It did not say when the attack occurred. No injuries were reported. ADNOC Logistics & Services, an affiliate of the oil company, said on X that the ship held no cargo when it was hit off the coast of Oman.<\/p>\n U.S. military denies that Iran struck one of its ships<\/p>\n Iranian news agencies, including the semiofficial Fars and ILNA, reported Monday that Iran struck a U.S. vessel near an Iranian port southeast of the strait, accusing it of \u201cviolating maritime security and navigation norms.\u201d The reports said the vessel was forced to turn back.<\/p>\n U.S. Central Command said on X that \u201cno U.S. Navy ships have been struck.\u201d<\/p>\n The U.S. has enforced a naval blockade on Iranian ports since April 13, telling at least 49 commercial ships to turn back, according to Central Command.<\/p>\n