US Strikes Iranian Military Sites After Ship Attack; Tehran Warns of Wider Response
The United States military on Saturday carried out strikes against Iranian missile and drone storage sites and coastal radar positions, following an attack on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz that Washington attributed to Tehran.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes were a response to an incident on June 25, when a drone struck the Singapore-flagged cargo ship M/V Ever Lovely as it was exiting the Strait of Hormuz along the Omani coast. The vessel was hit by what CENTCOM described as a one-way attack drone. No casualties were reported.
“The unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces clearly violated the ceasefire,” CENTCOM said in a statement, adding that the strikes targeted Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites. The command stated that American forces continue to provide safe passage coordination and support to commercial vessels transiting the strategically important waterway, through which about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies pass.
The US military released a 37-second video of the strikes but did not specify their exact location.
Iranian state television, citing a reporter in the southern port city of Sirik, said an explosion was heard late Friday at Taherouyeh pier. An informed military source told state TV the blast was caused by a projectile impact in the area.
The strikes drew swift warnings from both sides. US Vice President JD Vance posted on X that “violence will be met with violence,” referencing a ceasefire agreement that took effect on April 8 between the US and Iran. He said Iran could “pick up the phone” if it has disagreements about how the memorandum of understanding is being applied.
Shortly after the US strikes, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced they had attacked American sites in the Gulf region and warned that if the aggression is repeated, “our response will be broader than this,” according to a post by state TV on Telegram.
US President Donald Trump called the Iranian drone attack a “foolish violation of our Ceasefire Agreement” in a post on his Truth Social platform. He noted that one drone hit the upper deck of the cargo ship while three others were shot down.
The ceasefire, agreed on June 17 as a 14-point deal between Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, aimed to end nearly four months of hostilities. It includes an immediate cessation of military operations and commits both sides to pursue a final agreement within 60 days. The first round of negotiations concluded in Switzerland on Monday. Sporadic violence has continued in the region despite the truce.
