TEHRAN, Iran (AFP)—Iran’s military warned on Monday that US forces would be attacked if they entered the Strait of Hormuz, after United States President Donald Trump said the United States would help guide ships through the waterway.

Shortly after, Iran’s Fars news agency reported that a US warship in the strait was hit with missiles and forced to turn back, but the US military’s Central Command denied any ships had been hit.

Negotiations between the two countries have been deadlocked since a ceasefire in the US-Israeli war against Iran took effect on April 8, with Tehran’s stranglehold on the strait a main point of contention.

Trump said on Sunday that the new US maritime operation, which he dubbed “Project Freedom”, was a humanitarian gesture for crews aboard the many ships stuck in the Gulf who may be running low on supplies.

He said the US would help ships from countries not involved in the conflict.

“For the good of Iran, the Middle East, and the United States, we have told these Countries that we will guide their Ships safely out of these restricted Waterways,” the president posted on Truth Social, saying operations would begin on Monday.

Once out, “they will not be returning until the area becomes safe for navigation,” Trump added.

US media reported that the US Navy would not enter the strait but would provide guidance on traversing the narrow seaway. News site Axios said US ships would be “in the vicinity” to prevent Iranian attacks on commercial vessels.

CENTCOM said it would use guided-missile destroyers, over 100 land and sea-based aircraft, multi-domain unmanned platforms and 15,000 service members in the effort.

As of April 29, more than 900 commercial vessels were located in the Gulf, according to maritime intelligence firm AXSMarine.

In response to Trump, the Iranian military’s central command said any safe passage through Hormuz must be coordinated with its forces “under all circumstances”.

“We warn that any foreign armed force — especially the aggressive US military — if they intend to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz, will be targeted and attacked,” said Major General Ali Abdollahi in a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB.

– ‘Positive discussions’ –

Shortly after Abdollahi’s warning, Fars reported that a US frigate in the strait “was targeted by a missile attack after ignoring a warning from the Iranian navy”, adding that it was hit and forced to turn back.

It did not cite a source or provide further details.

CENTCOM immediately rejected the claim, saying in a post on X: “No US Navy ships have been struck. US forces are supporting Project Freedom and enforcing the naval blockade on Iranian ports.”

In the early hours of Monday, the British maritime agency UKMTO also reported an attack on a tanker off the UAE with “unknown projectiles”.

Later in the day, the UAE said Iran had fired drones at a tanker affiliated with its state-owned oil giant ADNOC.

By blocking the strait, Iran has choked off major flows of oil, gas and fertiliser to the world economy, while the United States has imposed a counter-blockade on Iranian ports.

Trump in his post said he was “fully aware that my Representatives are having very positive discussions with the Country of Iran, and that these discussions could lead to something very positive for all.”

But he made no direct mention of a 14-point plan that Tehran said it put forward last week to end the war.

Speaking on Monday, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Iran’s “priority is to end the war” but blamed the US for a lack of progress.

“The other side must commit to a reasonable approach and abandon its excessive demands,” he said.

He had earlier said Washington had responded to the 14-point plan in a message to Pakistani mediators.

– ‘Impossible operation’ –

On Sunday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards sought to put the diplomatic onus back on Trump, saying he must choose between “an impossible operation or a bad deal with the Islamic Republic”.

Oil prices are currently about 50 percent above pre-conflict levels, piling economic pressure on countries around the world including the United States.

Trump declined on Sunday to specify what could trigger new US military action.

But in his post on the Hormuz plan he said that “if in any way, this Humanitarian process is interfered with, that interference will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully”.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US naval blockade was only part of a broader economic embargo.

“We are suffocating the regime, and they are not able to pay their soldiers,” he told Fox News. “This is a real economic blockade, and it is in all parts of government.”