US strikes Iranian targets after drone attack on cargo ship in Strait of Hormuz, as details emerge
US forces have carried out strikes on Iranian missile and drone storage sites and coastal radar positions after a drone attack on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, deepening a confrontation around one of the world's most sensitive shipping lanes. US Central Command said the operation was a response to what it called unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces. Officials cited by US media said the strikes lasted about 90 minutes and hit four sites, including one on Qeshm island.
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The immediate trigger was an attack on the Singapore-flagged M/V Ever Lovely, which was passing through the waterway near the coast of Oman when it was hit by one of at least four one-way attack drones. US President Donald Trump said the strike on the ship was a
US forces have carried out strikes on Iranian missile and drone storage sites and coastal radar positions after a drone attack on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, deepening a confrontation around one of the world's most sensitive shipping lanes. US Central Command said the operation was a response to what it called unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces. Iranian state media later reported that the Revolutionary Guards threatened a swift and decisive response.
The immediate trigger was an attack on the Singapore-registered cargo ship Ever Lovely, which was passing through the waterway near the coast of Oman on Thursday when it was struck by a projectile. No crew members were injured, and the vessel was able to continue its journey. US President Donald Trump said the attack was a "foolish violation" of the June 17 memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran, while Vice President JD Vance said violence would be met with violence.
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CENTCOM said the strikes were launched on Friday and described them as a powerful response to the previous day's attack on a commercial ship transiting the strait. Reports said the US strikes were carried out near the southern Iranian port of Sirik, and Iranian state television later cited an explosion heard late Friday at Taherouyeh pier in the area. The British military had earlier said a vessel had been hit by a projectile off Oman, adding to the uncertainty around the incident and its aftermath.
The episode matters because the Strait of Hormuz is a critical route for global trade and energy shipments, and even short-lived disruption can affect shipping confidence far beyond the Gulf. CENTCOM said Iran's actions undermined freedom of navigation in a vital international trade corridor. The confrontation also comes at a fragile moment for US-Iran negotiations over an interim peace arrangement, which had been intended to reduce military pressure and keep commercial traffic moving.
The memorandum of understanding signed on June 17 was not a final peace settlement, but a precursor to further talks. It called for a permanent end to military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and set out a 60-day period in which Iran was expected to make its best efforts to allow commercial vessels to pass through the strait without charge. The reporting says the arrangement has already been strained by continued fighting elsewhere, including Israeli bombardment in Lebanon, which Iran has cited in its own warnings about the waterway.
The latest exchange also highlights the role of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the maritime dispute. Iranian state television said the Guards repelled an attack by the US against Sirik Island, which lies on the shores of the Strait of Hormuz, and quoted them as saying their response would be swift and decisive. That language suggests Tehran is treating the US strikes as part of a wider confrontation rather than an isolated military exchange.
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The strategic importance of the strait has long made it a flashpoint in any conflict involving Iran and Western powers. The waterway links Gulf producers to global markets, and the reporting says traffic through it has already been disrupted before, with prices for fuel, fertiliser and other goods rising when the route is shut. The current episode is significant because it combines military retaliation, diplomatic fragility and direct risk to commercial shipping in the same narrow corridor.
What remains unclear is the full extent of the damage from the US strikes, whether Iran will carry out the threatened response, and how the memorandum of understanding will be interpreted in the coming days. It is also not yet clear whether shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will stabilise or face further restrictions. The next developments to watch are any formal statement from Tehran, further US military updates and signs of whether commercial vessels continue to transit the waterway normally.
The United States has carried out strikes on Iranian targets after a drone attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, sharply escalating tensions around the strategic waterway. US Central Command said it hit missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites in response to what it described as an Iranian attack on commercial shipping. The incident has raised fresh questions about the durability of the interim peace deal between Washington and Tehran.
According to the confirmed reports, the cargo ship was struck by a one-way attack drone on Thursday, although no casualties were reported. The US military said the strikes were launched on Friday and described them as a response to what President Donald Trump called a "foolish violation" of the truce. Iranian media said a projectile hit an area near a pier in Sirik, a city on the shores of the waterway, but there has been no immediate public comment from Tehran on the US strikes.
The episode matters because the Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most sensitive shipping routes, with a large share of global oil and liquefied natural gas traffic passing through it. US Central Command said it would continue to provide safe passage coordination and support to commercial vessels transiting the strait. The military also said Iran's actions undermined freedom of navigation in a vital international trade corridor.
The confrontation comes against a backdrop of fragile diplomacy and repeated warnings over maritime security. The two countries agreed on 17 June to end hostilities under a 14-point memorandum of understanding, which included a call for Iran to use its best efforts to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels for 60 days without charge. Trump said the attack on the cargo ship violated that agreement, while Iranian officials have previously argued that the strait is under Iranian control and that outside powers should not dictate terms there.
The latest exchange also follows a period of wider regional tension, with shipping and energy markets already sensitive to any disruption in the Gulf. One report said the attack prompted a planned evacuation of more than 11,000 sailors stuck in the region, underlining the scale of concern among maritime operators. Another report said oil prices fell by about 3% despite the renewed uncertainty, showing how quickly markets react to developments in the strait.
There are also signs that the dispute is being shaped by competing claims over who can regulate passage through the waterway. Iranian state television said three foreign tankers attempting what it called an unauthorised passage were turned back after a warning from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Separately, Iranian officials have rejected claims of a direct hotline with the United States, while insisting they retain the right to legitimate self-defence.
The strategic importance of the strait has long made it a flashpoint in any confrontation involving Iran and Western powers. The waterway links Gulf producers to global markets, and even short-lived disruptions can affect shipping confidence, insurance costs and energy prices. The current episode is especially significant because it combines military retaliation, diplomatic uncertainty and direct risk to commercial shipping in the same narrow corridor.
What remains unclear is the extent of the damage to the cargo ship, whether Iran will respond to the US strikes, and how the interim peace deal will be interpreted by both sides in the coming days. It is also not yet clear whether maritime traffic through the strait will stabilise or face further restrictions. The next developments to watch are any official statement from Tehran, further US military updates and signs of whether commercial vessels continue to transit the waterway normally.
Iranian officials have denied claims that a direct hotline has been established with the United States over the Strait of Hormuz, amid a fresh exchange of accusations over maritime security in the strategic waterway. The row comes as Iranian state television reported that at least three foreign oil tankers turned back after warnings from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. US President Donald Trump separately accused Iran of violating a ceasefire agreement by launching drones at ships in the strait.
General Mohabi, the IRGC spokesperson, said the claim of a direct hotline was "a sheer lie" and insisted that it had not happened and would not happen. He also said the Strait of Hormuz is Iranian territory and has nothing to do with the United States. In parallel, Esmaeil Baqaei, the spokesperson for Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, addressed Iran's neighbours in the Persian Gulf, as well as Israel and the US, and said Iran has the right to legitimate self-defence.
Trump said Iran had launched at least four one-way attack drones toward ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. He said one drone struck the upper deck of a large cargo ship, damaging it but not stopping it from continuing its journey. He also said the other three drones were shot down, describing the incident as a "foolish violation" of the ceasefire agreement.
The claims and counterclaims have added to uncertainty around one of the world's most sensitive shipping routes. The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow maritime chokepoint linking the Gulf to the wider Indian Ocean system, and any disruption there can quickly affect shipping confidence and energy markets. The latest exchange matters because it combines military signalling, diplomatic denial and tanker movement in a single developing episode.
It also raises questions about how far the ceasefire arrangement can hold if either side believes the other is testing its limits at sea. Iranian officials framed their response as part of a broader argument that the country retains the right to defend itself after what Baqaei described as aggression and crimes. He said Iran's military capabilities guarantee that right while also helping to ensure peace and stability in the region.
The comments suggest Tehran is seeking to present its actions as defensive while rejecting any suggestion of direct coordination with Washington. The head of the International Maritime Organisation said that since Tuesday, 23 June, 115 ships and 2,500 seafarers have been evacuated from the Strait of Hormuz, underlining the scale of the disruption. What remains unclear is whether the reported tanker turnbacks were directly ordered by the IRGC, how much damage was caused to the cargo ship Trump described, and whether any formal communication channel exists between the two sides.
The next developments to watch are further official statements, any confirmation from maritime authorities, and whether shipping traffic through the strait stabilises or becomes more restricted.
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