US strikes Iran following a drone attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, escalating tensions in the region, reports Reuters.
The US military launched strikes on Iran in response to an Iranian drone attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, reports Reuters.
US Central Command stated that aircraft targeted missile and drone storage sites, as well as coastal radar positions, releasing video footage of the explosions. An official confirmed that the operation had concluded. In response, Iran reported that a projectile struck near a pier in Sirik and claimed its naval forces retaliated by targeting US military positions in the region.
This incident occurred as Israel and Lebanon signed a tentative agreement to end fighting involving Hezbollah. The deal stipulates that Hezbollah will disarm and Israel will withdraw troops, although the enforcement of this agreement remains unclear. Hezbollah has stated that it will not cooperate.
President Donald Trump attributed the cargo ship attack near Oman's coast to Iran, labeling it a breach of the ceasefire. Vice President JD Vance remarked that the US had honored the memorandum of understanding and warned that 'violence will be met with violence.'
Iranian state media reported that warning shots and missiles were fired from Sirik and Karpan toward vessels in the strait. The Mehr news agency later quoted a local ports official stating that Sirik's facilities were undamaged and operating normally.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that their navy struck US positions and warned of a broader response if attacks continued. The IRGC asserted that the ceasefire granted Iran control over ship traffic in the strait, accusing Washington of provoking multiple fronts.
Oil prices fell by about three percent on Friday as tankers resumed transits through the strait. Saudi Aramco restarted crude loadings at Ras Tanura after a four-month halt, while fertilizer shipments also increased. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Gulf Cooperation Council officials called for free navigation without tolls or attempts at control. Iran's foreign ministry stated that the strait should be governed jointly by Iran and Oman.
