US and Iran trade strikes, putting fresh strain on Mideast ceasefire

WASHINGTON: The United States and Iran traded military strikes after Washington on Friday accused Tehran of attacking a cargo ship, jeopardising a fragile ceasefire as diplomats struggle to contain the Middle East war.

US Central Command said the American strikes, against Iranian missile and drone storage sites and coastal radar positions, were a response to “unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces” that “clearly violated the ceasefire”.

It described the operation as “a powerful response to yesterday’s attack on a commercial ship that was transiting the Strait of Hormuz”.

Iranian state television, citing a reporter in Sirik, said an explosion was heard late on Friday at Taherouyeh pier in the southern port city.

It quoted an informed military source as saying the blast was caused by a projectile impact in the area.

US President Donald Trump had earlier denounced what he described as an Iranian drone strike on the vessel, saying: “Obviously, this is a foolish violation of our ceasefire agreement.”

Vice President JD Vance issued a direct warning, posting on X that “violence will be met with violence” if Iran carries out any further attacks.

Minutes later, on Saturday morning Iran time, state television reported that the Revolutionary Guards said they targeted US sites in the Gulf region in retaliation for the American strikes.

“If the aggression is repeated, our response will be broader than this,” the Guards said, according to a post by state TV on Telegram.

The exchanges raised fresh questions about efforts to keep the Strait of Hormuz open while Washington and Tehran negotiate a final settlement to a war that began February 28 with US and Israeli strikes on Iran.

Iran has warned vessels not to enter or leave the Gulf through the strait without permission, but ships have continued to move, some using a route not authorised by Tehran.

Around half of the 42 vessels that made the passage on Thursday used a non-approved southern route along Oman’s coast, according to tracking platform Kpler.

The UN maritime agency said an evacuation operation had freed 115 vessels and 2,500 seafarers trapped by the dispute before the attack forced its suspension.

Oil prices nevertheless fell sharply, reflecting hopes that traffic through Hormuz — a strategic waterway which normally sees around a fifth of the world’s oil and gas exports — would keep recovering despite the latest flare-up.