US Central Command (Centcom) has denied claims that one of its warships has been struck by two Iranian missiles.

In a post on X, Centcom says "no US Navy ships have been struck". It adds: "U.S. forces are supporting Project Freedom and enforcing the naval blockade on Iranian ports."

A reporter from US outlet Axios says a senior US official – who isn't named – has denied one of its ships was hit by Iranian missiles.

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The Iranian military earlier claimed that it had prevented a US Navy destroyer from entering the Strait of Hormuz.

Fars, the semi-official Iranian news agency, said a vessel was hit by two missiles as it was sailing through the Strait of Hormuz "in violation of traffic and shipping security".

A statement from the head of Iran's central command also said that it will attack "any foreign armed force" that tries to approach or enter the strait, "especially, the aggressive US army".

Major General Ali Abdollahi said that Iran has "repeatedly" stated that the strait "is under the control" of the Iranian armed forces and safe passage through it must be coordinated with it "under all circumstances".

The statement was shared by the Iranian state broadcaster IRIB.

Oil prices spiked sharply in response to reports from Iranian state media that two missiles hit a US warship as it tried to enter the Strait of Hormuz.

The Brent crude benchmark price soared by more than $4 per barrel within minutes of the news breaking, to hit $114, more than 5% up on the day's opening price.

It fell back slightly after the US denied the strike took place.

Late last night, Donald Trump announced a plan to escort stuck vessels out of the Gulf, calling it a "humanitarian gesture".

If the attempt to sail ships through the straits leads to another outbreak of hostilities, that would reduce the chances of flows of oil and gas resuming and be likely to send oil prices soaring even further.

The United Arab Emirates says a tanker affiliated with Adnoc, its state-owned oil company, has been hit in the Strait of Hormuz.

No one has been injured, the country's foreign ministry says in a statement, adding:

"This attack constitutes a flagrant violation of UN Security Council resolution 2817, which affirmed the importance of freedom of navigation, and rejected the targeting of commercial vessels or the obstruction of international maritime routes.

"Targeting commercial shipping and using the Strait of Hormuz as a tool of economic coercion or blackmail represents acts of piracy by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, and constitutes a direct threat to the stability of the region, its peoples, and global energy security."

The UAE has called for Iran to stop the attack and "ensure its full commitment to an immediate cessation of all hostilities and the complete and unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz".