Iranian State Media Claims Two Missiles Struck US Frigate Near Jask — US Military Denies Any Vessel Hit

Iranian state media reported on May 4, 2026 — Day 66 — that two IRGC missiles struck a US Navy frigate near the Iranian port of Jask in the Gulf of Oman, after the vessel allegedly failed to heed warnings to depart the area. Iranian media claimed the vessel was forced to 'flee' after being hit. The US military issued a categorical denial on social media, stating no US naval vessel had been struck in the Strait of Hormuz or Gulf of Oman region. The denial was immediate and unequivocal — consistent with CENTCOM's denial pattern in similar IRGC claims during the conflict, including the March false claim of hitting USS Abraham Lincoln. CENTCOM stated all US naval assets in the theater were fully operational. The incident came on the same day Iran announced its new maritime control zone and one day before the US Hormuz escort mission was scheduled to begin. Independent verification was impossible due to US operational security and Iran's information control in the region. Analysts at USNI News described the claim as 'consistent with IRGC psychological operations' ahead of the May 5 escort mission launch. If confirmed, it would be the first IRGC anti-ship missile strike on a US Navy vessel and a massive escalation; if fabricated, it was part of a coercive signaling campaign to deter the escort mission.