IRAN – The Naval Station Mayport-based USS Mason was among two Navy destroyers that navigated the Strait of Hormuz and entered the Persian Gulf after dodging an Iranian barrage, the U.S. military said.
RELATED: Families bid farewell as USS Mason heads out for deployment from Naval Station Mayport
The USS Truxtun and USS Mason faced threats from Iranian small boats, missiles and drones in a coordinated attack, causing concern for Northeast Florida families with loved ones aboard the ship.
U.S. Central Command said Monday morning that neither vessel was struck after Iranian state media claimed that the vessels were hit.
🚫 CLAIM: Iranian state media claims that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps hit a U.S. warship with two missiles.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) May 4, 2026
✅ TRUTH: No U.S. Navy ships have been struck. U.S. forces are supporting Project Freedom and enforcing the naval blockade on Iranian ports. pic.twitter.com/VFxovxLU6G
CENTCOM said the vessels are part of an initiative called Project Freedom.
Iran’s powerful parliamentary speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, accused the U.S. of undermining regional security with the effort to end Iran’s stranglehold on the strait and warned that Tehran will respond.
RELATED: US attempt to open the Strait of Hormuz tests Iran war’s fragile ceasefire
Iran’s effective closure of the strait, through which about a fifth of the world’s trade in oil and natural gas typically passes, along with fertilizer and other petroleum-derived products, has sent fuel prices skyrocketing, rattled the global economy and proved a major strategic advantage in negotiations to end the war. Breaking that grip would deny Tehran a major source of leverage.
But such efforts risk reigniting the full-scale fighting that erupted when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, prompting it to close the strait.
“To Iran, let innocent ships pass freely,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in remarks shared by the Department of Defense. “These international waters belong to all nations, not to Iran to tax, toll, or control.”
A sailor’s wife posted on social media, “God bless our troops, we just want them home safely,” echoing concerns shared by multiple military families who said they learned about the incident late Sunday night.
Retired Navy Cmdr. Richard Kolko said crews in contested waters focus on threat distances, defensive capabilities and rapid planning once ordered into areas where an attack is possible.
“The skipper, the commanding officer, wants to know what the standoff is,” Kolko said, describing the need to understand how close a ship can safely operate to known weapons. He said defensive support can include multiple assets, such as helicopters and drones.
Kolko said that when ships go to general quarters, sailors must be prepared for threats from the air and sea, and that the strain can build quickly.
“It is stressful. It is tiring,” he said.
News4JAX was at Naval Station Mayport in March when the Mason deployed, as families said goodbye amid escalating tensions in the region.
Kolko said communications from families are typically limited or shut down during combat operations to protect sensitive information and reduce confusion. He urged families to be cautious about unverified posts online and to wait for official word.
“Take it with a grain of salt until you get the official notification from the U.S. about what’s actually happening,” Kolko said.
The USS Mason deployed from Naval Station Mayport on March 24. Capt. Kevin Hoffman, the commanding officer of the USS Mason, said it’s a routine deployment that has been planned months and years in advance.