Iran Blocks Strait of Hormuz as US Denies Helicopter Crash
Iran continues its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and claims a US Navy helicopter crashed, a report the United States military denies.
The United States Central Command denied claims by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting that a US Navy MH-60R helicopter crashed in the Red Sea after declaring an emergency. Military officials asserted that all American aircraft and personnel in the Middle East are safe and accounted for.
These contradictions emerge as the conflict between the United States and Iran intensifies. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf declared the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States meets seven conditions based on a June agreement. The blockade has stranded hundreds of ships and disrupted global trade in crude oil, fertilizers, and liquefied natural gas.
Simultaneously, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that an outbound commercial oil tanker was struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz. The broader conflict, which began in February following joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, has expanded to include Iranian attacks in Jordan and fighting in Yemen between Iran-backed Houthi militias and government troops for control of the Bab Al-Mandab Strait.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an end to the war and a return to diplomacy during a visit to Islamabad, Pakistan. Guterres urged both parties to restore navigational rights and freedoms in accordance with international law.
