US Strikes Iranian Targets Over Alleged Ceasefire Breach In Strait Of Hormuz

June 26 () — The United States has launched airstrikes against Iranian military targets after President Donald Trump accused Tehran of violating a recently brokered ceasefire by attacking a commercial cargo vessel in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

The strikes, carried out on Friday by the US Central Command (CENTCOM), targeted missile and drone storage facilities as well as coastal radar installations, in what the military described as “a powerful response” to Iran’s alleged aggression against commercial shipping.

The escalation followed Thursday’s attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz by what US officials described as a one-way attack drone. Although no casualties were reported, the incident heightened tensions in one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes and prompted plans to evacuate more than 11,000 sailors stranded in the region.

Speaking shortly before the strikes were announced, President Trump hinted at imminent military action. Asked whether Washington would respond to the drone attack, he replied simply: “You’ll see”.

In a statement issued after the operation, CENTCOM accused Iran of violating the terms of the ceasefire and threatening international commerce.

“The unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces clearly violated the ceasefire”, the Command said.

It further stated that Iran’s actions had undermined freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global trade corridor through which a significant portion of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas exports pass.

CENTCOM also reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to maintaining maritime security, saying it would “continue to provide safe passage coordination and support to commercial vessels transiting the strait.”

The latest confrontation threatens to unravel the fragile truce reached between Washington and Tehran on June 17, under a 14-point memorandum of understanding designed to halt weeks of hostilities.

Among the key provisions of the agreement was Iran’s commitment to make its “best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge for 60 days”, a clause intended to restore confidence in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after months of instability.

The waterway has remained at the centre of geopolitical tensions since the outbreak of hostilities following US and Israeli military operations against Iran at the end of February. Tehran subsequently moved to effectively close the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting international shipping, driving up global oil prices and affecting the movement of other critical commodities, including fertiliser.