US military says most Iranian attacks on Hormuz shipping have failed

STRAIT OF HORMUZ — The US military said on Saturday that the "vast majority" of Iran's attempted attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz have failed and that the waterway remains open, according to Middle East Eye.

Middle East Eye reported that US Central Command spokesperson Tim Hawkins made the comments in an interview with Fox News. All details in this report come from that single Middle East Eye account, and Zenga News has not independently verified them.

The Centcom figures

According to Middle East Eye, Hawkins said about 97 percent of vessels trying to cross the strait had done so without being struck. The outlet reported that many of those ships crossed with US military protection.

The report does not say over what period the 97 percent figure was measured. It does not say how many vessels it covers or how many were struck.

Hawkins also described the actions of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC. "What the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran is doing is unjustified and it's also unsuccessful because they are not achieving their objective of closing the Strait of Hormuz," Hawkins said, as quoted by Middle East Eye.

Middle East Eye summarised his message as a claim that the attacks have not closed the strait. In the outlet's account, the US military says the strait is still open to shipping.

What is not confirmed

The claims come from a US military spokesperson. Middle East Eye's report, as available to Zenga News, does not include a response from Iran or from the IRGC. It does not say whether Iranian officials accept the US description of the attacks or their results.

The report also does not identify any ship that was targeted. It does not name the owners or flags of any vessel. It gives no information on damage, casualties or the weapons used. It does not say where or when individual attacks took place.

Independent confirmation of the 97 percent figure, such as data from shipping companies or maritime monitoring bodies, is not included in the source. The claim that many ships crossed under US military protection is likewise attributed only to Hawkins' comments as relayed by Middle East Eye.

Background

The Middle East Eye item was published in its live blog on 17 October 2026 and is headlined "Iran's attacks on Hormuz shipping 'unsuccessful', Centcom says". The outlet's summary presents the statement as the US military's assessment of Iran's attempts to disrupt traffic through the strait.

In Hawkins' words, as quoted, the IRGC's objective is to close the Strait of Hormuz. He said the group has not achieved it. The source material does not provide wider context on the dispute between the United States and Iran or on earlier incidents in the waterway.

Zenga News will update this report if Iran, the IRGC or independent maritime sources respond to the US statement.