US forces struck Iranian military targets around the Strait of Hormuz on Friday in response to Tehran’s Thursday attack on a commercial ship near the key waterway, according to US Central Command.
“U.S. aircraft struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites,” Centcom said. “The unjustified aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces clearly violated the ceasefire.”
The strikes came as President Donald Trump on Friday called a drone attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz a “stupid violation” of the deal with Iran to end the war, but gave no indication whether the episode would prompt a return to broader hostilities.
Asked Friday afternoon whether Iran would face any consequences, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office only, “You’ll find out.”
The President responded for the first time Friday morning, just hours after the strike.
He wrote on Truth Social, “The Islamic Republic of Iran fired at least four one-way attack drones at ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. One of the drones struck the upper deck of a ship carrying a large and very expensive cargo.”
He wrote, “Damage was caused, but the ship was able to continue on her way.” “We shot down three other drones. Obviously, this is a senseless violation of our ceasefire agreement.”
Hours later, Trump said the incident showed Iran had retained some of its military capabilities despite months of US war.
He told a crowd of Orthodox Christians in Washington, DC, “We still have a fight going on. They have some potential, not a lot. They’re not winning or anything, but they have some potential; they can still shoot.”
He said of the Iranian attack, “Nobody saw it coming, and it hit a ship and caused some damage. Can’t do that.”
Later, during an Oval Office event, Trump did not elaborate on how or whether the United States might respond to the incident, which occurred a day earlier and underlined the ongoing difficulties in restoring traffic to pre-war levels in the vital waterway.
When Trump was asked if he thought the ceasefire was still in effect, he said, “I don’t like the fact that they fired yesterday.” “Not just any sister ship, but a ship. Very expensive ship and it was fine, but it took a bit of a beating. They shouldn’t have done that.”
Asked whether the US would respond, he said, “You’ll find out.” After this the President suddenly dismissed the journalists.
US Central Command, which oversees US military operations in the region, initially referred to Trump’s statement when asked about the attack. An
It was the first such incident since the US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding to open the strait and begin more intensive talks on Iran’s nuclear program. Trump has given few signs that he is prepared to restart the war, which he acknowledged last week could lead to “economic devastation” if it continued.
Iran views control of the waterway as a key point of leverage in negotiations. On Thursday the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that ships would only be allowed safe passage through declared routes to Iran.
The US–Iran agreement stipulated that traffic in the strait would return to the same volume as before the war began, but did not provide detailed conditions for meeting the conditions.
The two sides have offered different understandings on whether Iran would be able to charge fees for passing ships. Trump has insisted that the strait will remain toll-free, but Tehran has said it will have the right to charge ships passing through.
Thursday’s attack came hours after Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards warned that ships in the strait would only be granted safe passage through Iranian routes, challenging the Trump administration’s claim that the waterway is once again free and open. As soon as the agreement was signed, America lifted its blockade of Iranian ports.
The cargo ship was hit by an unidentified projectile on its starboard side, damaging the bridge, according to United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which monitors maritime traffic in the area. No injuries or environmental impacts were reported.
This headline and story have been updated with additional developments.
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