US strikes Iranian targets after drone attack on cargo ship in Strait of Hormuz
The United States military has carried out strikes on Iranian facilities following a drone attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, which President Donald Trump described as a 'foolish violation' of the existing ceasefire.
No casualties were reported when the vessel was struck by a one-way attack drone on Thursday. The incident prompted plans to evacuate more than 11,000 sailors stranded in the region.
In response, US Central Command (Centcom) said on Friday it had struck missile and drone storage facilities and coastal radar positions. Iran has not yet commented on the strikes.
Just before the strikes were announced, President Trump told reporters, 'you'll see,' when asked whether the US would respond to the attack.
Centcom described the strikes as 'a powerful response' to the drone attack. 'The unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces clearly violated the ceasefire,' a statement said. 'Furthermore, Iran's dangerous behavior undermined freedom of navigation as commerce increasingly flows through the vital international trade corridor.'
The US military said it would 'continue to provide safe passage coordination and support to commercial vessels transiting the strait.'
After US and Israeli attacks against Iran began at the end of February, Tehran effectively closed the strait—a critical waterway for oil and gas shipments—causing a spike in global oil prices and disrupting shipments of other commodities such as fertiliser.
The US and Iran agreed on 17 June to end hostilities under a 14-point memorandum of understanding, which also called for Iran to use its 'best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge for 60 days.'
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Friday afternoon, Trump declined to elaborate on how the US might respond or whether he viewed the ceasefire as still intact. 'You'll find out,' he said. 'I don't like the fact that they took a shot yesterday. They shouldn't be doing that.'
When asked why he believed Iran would conduct such an operation, Trump replied, 'they're a little bit different.'
The Strait of Hormuz remains a strategically vital waterway, and the latest escalation raises concerns about regional stability and global energy supplies.
