Amid escalating tensions in West Asia despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, Iran claimed that its navy had targeted a US military vessel operating in the Sea of Oman. Iranian state-linked media said the vessel was serving as a “command and control centre” and was approaching Iranian territorial waters when it came under attack.
According to Iran's Tasnim news agency, military officials said the operation was carried out in response to recent US actions against Iranian commercial ships and alleged violations of navigation rules in the Strait of Hormuz. The report, however, did not specify the extent of damage to the vessel or whether there were any casualties.
US rejects Iran's claim
Minutes after the Iranian reports emerged, the US military strongly denied the allegation.
"Iran is lying. US military assets at sea continue to fly, sail, and operate safely and unimpeded," US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement posted on X.
The competing claims surfaced as fighting and military exchanges continue across the region despite ongoing negotiations aimed at easing tensions.
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Rubio says US operation has ended
The development comes as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated that Washington's military campaign against Iran had concluded, even as violence persists in parts of the region.
"We're no longer conducting sustained strikes inside of Iran to degrade their military, because Epic Fury is over," Rubio told the House Foreign Affairs Committee, maintaining that the United States had achieved its objectives.
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The conflict, which Washington has referred to as Operation Epic Fury, began with strikes on Iran on February 28 and has since expanded across the Middle East. Iran has responded by targeting US allies in the region and disrupting movement through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil and gas shipments.
Defending the outcome of the campaign, Rubio said, "We define victory as destroying their defence industrial base, significantly reducing the number of missile launchers that they possess, significantly reducing their stockpile of drones."
"And we achieved all those, in addition to destroying what they had left of an air force and wiping out their entire conventional navy," he added.
(Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.)

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