The U.S. military struck Iranian military targets Friday after Tehran launched a drone attack on a commercial cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, escalating tensions just days after the two nations agreed to a ceasefire.
President Donald Trump announced the Iranian attack on Truth Social, stating that Tehran fired at least four drones at ships in the strategic waterway. One drone hit a Singapore-flagged cargo vessel’s upper deck, damaging the bridge, though no injuries were reported.
U.S. Central Command confirmed it carried out strikes against Iranian missile and drone storage facilities, radar sites and other military targets in response. “The unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces clearly violated the ceasefire,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
What Happened
Six American land-based aircraft struck four separate targets along the Strait of Hormuz and on Iran’s Qeshm Island, according to a U.S. official who spoke to CBS News. The operation was described by CENTCOM as a “powerful response” to Iran’s attack on commercial shipping.
The Iranian drone strike occurred one day before the U.S. military action. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre reported the vessel was operating off Oman’s coast when struck.
The Ceasefire at Risk
The military exchange threatens a fragile ceasefire agreement reached between Washington and Tehran earlier this month. Under the 14-point memorandum of understanding, Iran agreed to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days while both sides negotiate a broader agreement on Iran’s nuclear program and regional security.
Disputes over implementation have continued despite the agreement. The U.S. supports routing ships through the southern portion of the strait near Oman, while Iran insists vessels use routes closer to its shores.
Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority warned Thursday that ships using unauthorized routes would not receive safe-passage guarantees or insurance protections. The temporary ceasefire was designed to expire in 60 days while negotiations continue.
What This Means
Vice President JD Vance defended the administration’s response Friday. “Iran signed a ceasefire agreement. We have honored it,” Vance wrote on social media. “If they have disagreements about how the memorandum of understanding is being applied, they can pick up the phone. But violence will be met with violence.”
The strikes mark the first direct U.S. military action against Iran since the ceasefire was extended. The renewed military engagement raises questions about the future of diplomatic negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
Following the original ceasefire agreement, commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz increased sharply and global oil prices fell toward pre-war levels. The latest attack and U.S. response could disrupt both trends.