Iran threatens to sink US warship if it approaches Hormuz

Iran has threatened to sink a US warship if it approaches the Strait of Hormuz. Rear Admiral Ali Azmai, the senior commander of the country's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy, warned that Iranian forces are waiting for the US warship.

He gave this warning in a televised speech on Tuesday (October 13), according to TRT World.

The United States, on the other hand, has rejected Tehran's claim to control the Strait of Hormuz, saying the vital waterway is under its control and that of its regional allies. The UK's Maritime Safety Agency has also reported that a container ship in the strait was hit by an unidentified object or weapon.

Ali Azmai said, "We are waiting for the US warships to come to the entrance of the Strait of Hormuz so that we can sink them." 

He also commented that Iranian forces are "counting the time" for such a head-on clash.

Azmayi claims that due to their own weakness, US warships "don't dare" to approach this strategically important sea route. 

He said a US aircraft carrier worth $13 billion had moved 700 kilometers away from the Strait of Hormuz.

He also said, "If the United States wants to see whether the Strait of Hormuz is open or closed, then they should come here and see directly - who controls this sea route."

Meanwhile, the UK's maritime trade body UKMTO said a container ship was damaged by an unidentified object or weapon in the Strait of Hormuz.

On the other hand, the US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) has rejected a claim by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that it controls the Strait of Hormuz and will sink US Navy warships if they approach.

"The IRGC Navy Commander has no navy. The Strait of Hormuz is clearly under the control of US forces and regional allies," Centcom said in a statement on social media.

CENTCOM also rejected comments by an Iranian naval commander that Tehran controls the strategically important international waterway.

The US military command said that US forces assisted Gulf allies in transporting more than 19 million barrels of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.