Reactions and statements from the international community
The UAE Ministry of Defense announced that four cruise missiles fired from Iran were intercepted over waters, with one missile crashing into the sea. The UAE strongly condemned the attacks, which it attributes to the Islamic Republic.
CENTCOM Admiral Brad Cooper stated that Iranian cruise missiles, drones, and small boats targeted both US Navy ships and commercial vessels in the region; US forces defended the ships and sank all the small boats with Apache helicopters and Seahawk helicopters.
President Trump stated that Iran had targeted a South Korean cargo ship as part of its actions against the ship movement in PROJECT FREEDOM, and announced that the U.S. had shot down seven Iranian "fast boats." Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine will hold a news conference the following morning.
Tina Gazi-Morad, Editor-in-Chief of Manoto News, highlighted a contradiction in Iran's policies, noting that while Tehran aggressively responds to the UAE due to its ties with Israel, it takes no action against Israel's allies in Russia's sphere of influence, such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan, due to Moscow's influence.
President Trump warned that the Iranian regime would be "wiped off the face of the earth" if it attacks U.S. ships guiding passage through the Strait of Hormuz, amid heightened maritime tensions and the implementation of Operation Liberty.
Gen. Kurilla, the CENTCOM commander, announced that the US Navy destroyed and sank six speedboats from the IRGC's navy this morning during an attack on commercial vessels, preventing potential threats to shipping in the region.
CENTCOM announced that the Islamic Republic attacked ships protected by the United States in the Strait of Hormuz using missiles, drones, and small boats. CENTCOM also reported the destruction of six Iranian small boats that aimed to disrupt commercial shipping.
On January 15, 2026, the United States launched naval ships and fighter aircraft to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iranian small boats intercepted and fired upon several U.S. ships. In retaliation, the U.S. military engaged and destroyed Iranian boats, leading Iran to launch missiles toward the Gulf, resulting in further military engagements by U.S. air and naval forces.
On Monday, CENTCOM announced that American destroyers entered the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz to ensure safe passage for commercial ships, while Tasnim News Agency claimed Iranian navy warning shots were fired in response.
Iran launched cruise missiles at both commercial vessels and U.S. military ships in an attack.
The US Navy has reported significant activity involving large destroyers in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz.
On Monday, May 4, authorities in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, announced that the "Fujairah Oil Industrial Area" suffered a fire following an alleged Iranian drone attack; three Indian nationals sustained minor injuries and were hospitalized.
