Key facts
- The US struck Iranian targets in response to a drone attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
- President Donald Trump stated the drone attack violated a truce and warned of a violent response.
- Iran's Revolutionary Guards vowed a "swift and decisive" response and claimed to have repelled a US attack.
- The UK raised the threat level in the Strait of Hormuz to "substantial" after reports of a tanker being struck.
- US strikes targeted missile and drone facilities and coastal radar stations in Iran.
- The International Maritime Organization halted evacuations of stranded ships following the attack.
The United States attacked Iran on Friday in response to a drone attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz the previous day, marking a significant test for a provisional understanding reached a week prior to de-escalate their conflict. President Donald Trump stated the drone attack violated the ceasefire, and the US Central Command reported that its forces targeted missile and drone facilities, as well as coastal radar stations in Iran. The strikes concluded about an hour after they were announced.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards vowed a "swift and decisive" response and claimed to have repelled a US attack on Sirik Island. Ebrahim Azizi, head of Iran's national security commission, responded to Trump on social media, asserting that "the Strait of Hormuz is governed by Iran" and that the actions constituted "management of the ceasefire." US Vice President JD Vance echoed a warning, stating, "Violence will be met with violence."
The UK's maritime agency had previously raised the threat level in the Strait of Hormuz to "substantial" after reports of a tanker being struck off the coast of Oman. This exchange of strikes escalates the conflict to its most intense point since a peace deal was signed.
The attack on the cargo ship occurred during a fragile period for US-Iran negotiations aimed at a permanent end to their conflict. The International Maritime Organization halted evacuations of stranded ships from the strait following the attack, stating they would not resume until assurances were in place that other vessels would not be targeted. Approximately 500 ships remain in the area, with about 115 having been moved out in recent days.