The United States has carried out strikes against Iranian military facilities near the Strait of Hormuz, responding to a drone attack on a Singapore-flagged cargo vessel. The action tests the fragile ceasefire between the two nations that had reopened the strategic waterway.
US strikes target Iranian missile and drone facilities
US Central Command (Centcom) announced it had struck “Iranian missile and drone storage locations” on Friday, describing the action as a “powerful response” to Iran’s attack on the M/V Ever Lovely. The strikes targeted sites near the Strait of Hormuz and on Qeshm Island, appearing limited in scope to avoid escalating the conflict.
“The US military remains present and vigilant to ensure all aspects of the agreement with Iran are adhered to, obeyed, and in full force and effect,” Centcom said in a statement.
Political reactions and ceasefire tensions
US Vice-President JD Vance wrote on social media: “Iran signed a ceasefire agreement. We have honored it. If they have disagreements about how the MOU is being applied, they can pick up the phone. But violence will be met with violence.”
President Donald Trump called Iran’s drone attack a “foolish violation” of the ceasefire. “I don’t like the fact that they took a shot yesterday, actually four of them,” Trump said shortly before the US strikes.
Iran’s response and regional impact
Iranian state media reported an explosion at the port of Sirik, citing an unnamed military source. The source said warning shots were fired from Sirik towards vessels that violated Strait of Hormuz regulations about five hours earlier, and two warning missiles were launched from the Karpan area.
The Revolutionary Guards stated their navy “struck the locations where the terrorist US military is stationed in the region” and warned that any further US attacks would meet a broader response. Senior Iranian security official Ebrahim Azizi said, “This is not a violation of the ceasefire; it is ceasefire management.”
Attack on M/V Ever Lovely
The UK Maritime Trade Operations centre confirmed that no one was injured in the drone attack on the Ever Lovely, which damaged the ship’s bridge. “A cargo vessel has been hit on the starboard side by an unknown projectile, causing damage to the bridge. Master has reported no casualties and no environmental impact,” the authority said.
On Thursday, Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority warned: “Any passage through routes outside the framework designated by PGSA will not be covered by safe passage guarantees and will not be entitled to insurance coverage or related liabilities.”
Progress elsewhere: Israel-Lebanon agreement
Israel and Lebanon signed an agreement to end hostilities between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, “It’s the beginning of the beginning. There’s a lot of work ahead.” The deal calls for Hezbollah to disarm and Israel to withdraw troops from Lebanon, though enforcement remains unclear.
Lebanon’s ambassador to Washington, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, stated the accord “is a first step on the road to restoring Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity, securing a permanent and final cessation of hostilities.” Israel’s US envoy, Yechiel Leiter, said under the deal, “Iran is out, Hezbollah is out and the road to peace between Israel and Lebanon is in.”
