Trump accuses Iran of ceasefire breach after Strait of Hormuz attack

US President Donald Trump has accused Iran of a "foolish violation" of its truce with Washington after a cargo ship was struck in the Strait of Hormuz. The attack took place on Thursday in one of the world's most sensitive shipping lanes, where traffic is closely watched because of the risk of disruption to global trade. No casualties were reported, and the vessel was able to continue on its way after the strike.

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According to British maritime security agency UKMTO, the ship was hit by an unknown projectile about 7.5 nautical miles southeast of Oman's port of Dahit. Trump said on Friday that at least four drones had been fired at passing ships, with one making contact with the vessel's upper deck. He said three drones were shot down and that damage had been done, but the ship was able to proceed onward.

The ship's owner said the damage was limited and that all crew members and cargo remained safe. The vessel has been identified as the Ever Lovely, a Singapore-flagged cargo ship operated by Evergreen. The company said the ship had been following the route recommended by UKMTO when it was struck.

Data reviewed from ship-tracking services indicated that it had been using a southern route identified by the International Maritime Organization on Thursday morning. The UN maritime body later paused its planned evacuation of more than 11,000 sailors stranded in the strait after the attack. The incident matters because the Strait of Hormuz is a critical passage for commercial shipping and any attack there can quickly raise tensions between Iran and the United States.

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Trump's accusation links the strike directly to the ceasefire arrangement between Washington and Tehran, adding a diplomatic dimension to what was already a maritime security incident. The pause in the evacuation plan also shows how quickly operational decisions at sea can be affected by security warnings and uncertainty over vessel safety. The attack came after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that attempts to cross the strait along a route designated by the IMO would be "unacceptable and completely dangerous" and said vessels should coordinate with Iran.

Iranian state media later reported fresh assertions from the IRGC that the strait is Iranian territory. Trump's comments were also reported by Iranian state media, but Tehran has not directly responded to the accusation in the material provided. The IMO chief said on Thursday that the ship did not transit under the organisation's evacuation framework, although he did not give further detail.

On Friday, he said he was working with the US, Iran and Oman to secure guarantees that vessels would not be targeted. What remains unclear is who carried out the strike, whether the ceasefire allegation will lead to a formal response, and whether the evacuation plan will resume. The next developments will depend on whether shipping guarantees can be established and whether further incidents are reported in the strait.

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