Iran’s attacks on Hormuz shipping 'unsuccessful', Centcom says

The US military says most ships targeted in Iran’s attempted attacks were not hit. It also says the Strait of Hormuz remains open. This matters because the strait is a major passage for international shipping, so its status affects trade and energy movements.

US Central Command spokesperson Tim Hawkins gave a specific estimate on Saturday. About 97 percent of vessels trying to cross passed through without being struck. Many of those vessels had protection from US military forces. The figure suggests that most crossings continued successfully, even while the attacks created danger.

The current US assessment is that Iran has not achieved its stated objective of closing the waterway. Hawkins called the attacks “unjustified” and “unsuccessful.” The strait is therefore still operating, but continued attacks could threaten ships, require more military escorts, and increase uncertainty for companies planning voyages.

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow sea passage at the entrance to the Persian Gulf. It connects the Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the wider Arabian Sea. Iran lies along its northern side, while Oman controls territory on its southern side. Its geography concentrates shipping into a limited route.

Ships use the strait to travel between Gulf ports and the open ocean. Tankers carrying oil and other vessels must navigate through this passage when their cargo originates in or is bound for the Persian Gulf. Narrow lanes leave less room to avoid danger or disruption than open-sea routes.

That location gives the strait global importance. Any threat there can affect ships from many countries, even when the incident involves only one vessel. The source article reports that the waterway remains open, despite attempted Iranian attacks and US military efforts to protect some crossings.

The 97 percent figure indicates that most vessels attempting to cross the strait completed the journey without being struck. It therefore points to limited success in the attacks, at least by the measure of ships hit. It also supports Centcom’s claim that Iran did not close the waterway.

The remaining share is roughly 3 percent, but the wording does not prove that every vessel in that group was hit. Some may not have completed a crossing for other reasons. The article also says many successful crossings received US military protection, which may have helped ships avoid attack.

The attacks were therefore dangerous but not fully effective at stopping traffic. Their broader impact still cannot be measured by the 97 percent figure alone. Even a small number of incidents can make companies hesitate, seek escorts, change schedules, or pay more for insurance.

Shipping companies make decisions based on risk, not only on confirmed damage. An attack on even a few vessels can make captains, cargo owners, insurers, and ports worry that another ship may be targeted. That uncertainty can slow the movement of goods through a narrow and strategically important passage.

For example, an operator may wait for a military escort, alter a sailing time, or pause a voyage while assessing the danger. Insurers may charge more because the chance of loss, damage, or rescue has risen. Companies can then pass those costs to customers, while delays affect deliveries and supply schedules.

The article says many vessels crossed with US military protection and that about 97 percent were not struck. Those facts show that traffic continued, but they do not remove the danger. If attacks continued or became more accurate, more operators might avoid the route, increasing delays, costs, and pressure on global markets.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is Iran’s powerful military organisation, separate from the country’s regular armed forces. It has land, air, and naval capabilities, including forces responsible for operations around Iranian waters. The source identifies the IRGC as the actor conducting the attempted attacks described by Centcom.

In general, IRGC naval forces can threaten vessels by approaching or intercepting them, using weapons, laying mines, or launching attacks from the coast or small craft. These methods can damage ships or make crews fear that a crossing is unsafe. The source itself does not specify which method was used in these attempts.

Centcom says the IRGC’s actions were unjustified and unsuccessful because they did not close the strait. About 97 percent of vessels crossed without being struck, many under US protection. Continued threats could still force more escorts, increase shipping costs, and put pressure on companies to reconsider their routes.

A closure would not leave every exporter with the same choices. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have pipelines that can carry some oil toward ports outside the Strait of Hormuz. Some tankers could also use longer sea routes around the Arabian Peninsula, where practical. These options could keep part of the trade moving.

The main limitation is capacity. Pipelines cannot carry all Gulf exports, and they serve particular starting points and destination ports. Longer voyages use more fuel, take more time, and may expose ships to other security risks. Tankers already loaded inside the Gulf could also face difficulty reaching an alternative route if the strait itself were blocked.

These alternatives could reduce, but not eliminate, the disruption. The source article does not discuss replacement routes; this explanation uses established geographic and energy-shipping knowledge. Its reported reality is that the waterway remains open, so companies are still using it, often with US military protection.

Narrow maritime chokepoints matter because ships carrying energy cannot spread across many routes at that location. A single passage can connect major producing regions with customers around the world. If access is threatened, traders may fear that supplies will arrive late or fall, even before a full closure occurs.

That fear can move prices. Buyers may compete for available cargoes, while companies pay more for insurance, security, fuel, or longer journeys. Governments and businesses may also build emergency stocks or seek alternative suppliers. These responses can raise costs across transport, manufacturing, and household energy markets.

The Strait of Hormuz remains open in the reported US assessment, and about 97 percent of vessels crossed without being struck. Still, the attempted attacks show why the passage is sensitive. Continued disruption could create wider economic pressure, even if most ships keep getting through and the attacks do not achieve a complete closure.