US strikes Iran in retaliation for Strait of Hormuz cargo ship attack

The United States carried out military strikes against Iranian targets Friday in response to Iran's attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz the previous day, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced. The strikes targeted Iranian missile and drone storage locations, as well as coastal radar sites.

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violence will be met with violence

U.S. Vice President JD Vance stated, "violence will be met with violence," in response to the attack, adding that Iran could have communicated its disagreements over the application of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) by phone. CENTCOM asserted that the Iranian attack on the Singapore-flagged M/V Ever Lovely cargo ship violated a ceasefire and undermined freedom of navigation in the vital international trade corridor.

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pick up the phone

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) initially reported that it had successfully repelled the U.S. attack, according to Iran's State TV. However, the IRGC's public relations office later issued a statement, reported by Iran's Fars news agency, disputing the earlier report and stating no official comment had been made regarding the U.S. strikes.

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The unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces clearly violated the ceasefire.

Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Truth Social that a drone had struck the cargo ship's upper deck, causing damage, but the vessel was able to continue its journey. He also noted that three other drones were shot down, characterizing the attack as a "foolish" violation of the existing ceasefire agreement. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed the cargo vessel sustained damage to its starboard side from an unidentified projectile.

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Furthermore, Iran’s dangerous behavior undermined freedom of navigation as commerce increasingly flows through the vital international trade corridor.