The United States has carried out military strikes on Iranian targets following a drone attack on a commercial cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, escalating tensions just days after both countries agreed to a ceasefire.
According to the US military's Central Command (CENTCOM), the strikes targeted Iranian missile and drone storage facilities as well as coastal radar positions. US officials said the operation was launched in response to Thursday's drone attack on a cargo vessel, which disrupted plans to evacuate thousands of sailors stranded in the region.
Iran defended the attack, claiming the cargo ship had travelled through an unauthorized route in the strategically important waterway. However, the United States described the action as an unjustified attack on international commercial shipping and said it violated the terms of the recently agreed ceasefire.
CENTCOM stated that the US would continue supporting the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's busiest shipping routes for oil and other essential goods.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) condemned the US strikes, accusing Washington of breaking the ceasefire agreement. The group claimed it had retaliated by targeting US military positions in the region, although no additional details were provided.
The latest exchange comes after months of conflict that led Iran to effectively close the Strait of Hormuz, causing global oil prices to surge and disrupting international trade. Both countries had reached a ceasefire agreement on June 17, which included commitments to ensure safe and toll-free navigation through the waterway.
US Vice President JD Vance said any disagreements over the ceasefire should be resolved through negotiations rather than military action. Meanwhile, Iranian officials insisted that future management of the Strait of Hormuz would not return to its previous arrangement before the conflict.
The cargo vessel involved in Thursday's incident, the Singapore-flagged Ever Lovely, was struck near the coast of Oman while following the recommended international shipping route. The vessel's owner confirmed that all crew members were safe and that neither the ship nor its cargo suffered significant damage.
Following the attack, the International Maritime Organization temporarily suspended plans to evacuate thousands of sailors who remain stranded in the region as security concerns continue to grow.
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