TEHRAN – The commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Navy says American warships have withdrawn to hundreds of kilometers from the Strait of Hormuz out of vulnerability, warning that Iranian forces are counting the moments for them to come within range.

Rear Admiral Ali Ozmaei said in remarks published Tuesday that the United States Navy, despite its advanced hardware, no longer dares to approach Iranian waters.

"Today, by God's grace and with our naval combatants, we are standing against the vicious enemies," Ozmaei said. "The US Army has turned into a fuel smuggler and its fleet has become useless because it is vulnerable and does not dare to come close to Iran."

The commander said Iran has turned its tactical weaknesses into strengths and challenged Washington to test who really controls the world's most critical energy chokepoint.

"If the Americans want to see whether the Strait of Hormuz is open or closed, let them enter the field to see who controls it," he said.

According to Ozmaei, even the United States' 13-billion-dollar aircraft carrier has been rendered ineffective and is now operating about 700 kilometers away from the Strait because it fears being hit.

"We are waiting for the American warships to approach the entrance of the Strait of Hormuz to sink them; we are counting down moment by moment for this to happen," he said.

Ozmaei said Iran has so far publicized only one or two examples of its punishment of violating vessels, noting that the US and its regional partners of imposing a media blackout to hide the fact that offending ships are being disciplined.

"We showed only two samples of the punishment of offending ships," he said, adding that Iranian forces act without compromise against violators.

The commander stressed that the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf are under the control of the IRGC Navy, while the Sea of Oman is controlled by the Islamic Republic Army, meaning that any blockade now lies beyond the Sea of Oman, in the Arabian Sea.

"The IRGC Navy conducts smart control of the Strait of Hormuz," Ozmaei explained. Vessels bound to or departing from Iran are issued permits through a hierarchy and transit only through the Iranian waterway, he said.

Addressing the Iranian public, he said naval combatants are in the field alongside the people and deal firmly with offenders.

"We can establish economic, political and military security with our neighbors. We do not need the Americans. They are after plundering the wealth of the people of the region," he said. "Today the American army has been humiliated and reduced to misery."

Ozmaei added that Iran's position is stronger than in the early days of the imposed war, and that its fighters are more prepared today than yesterday.

His remarks coincided with two fresh maritime incidents reported Tuesday in and around the Strait.

In the morning, the IRGC Navy's public relations department announced that a violating container ship carrying more than 2,500 containers, which had attempted to transit the Strait of Hormuz through an unauthorized and dangerous route, struck a naval mine in the southern waters of the Strait, exploded and caught massive fire before sinking.

Local vessels and fishermen were advised to navigate with maximum caution to avoid colliding with floating containers, the statement said.

At noon on the same day, the Islamic Republic Army Navy reported that a violating oil tanker, which had switched off its tracking systems and was trying to pass through a prohibited zone east of the Strait of Hormuz, suffered damage and fire and was detected by Army surveillance teams.

Announcing a new formation and deployment of operational units east of the Strait of Hormuz and in the Arabian Sea and Sea of Oman areas, the Army Navy said it maintains full, round-the-clock surveillance over all enemy activities and vessel traffic.

It advised all vessels to strictly refrain from switching off their electronic equipment in violation of international law and to coordinate with the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran for safe passage.