The U.S. military has conducted retaliatory strikes against Iran, citing President Donald Trump’s accusation that Tehran violated a 60-day ceasefire by launching drone attacks on ships in the crucial Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Central Command confirmed hitting Iranian missile and drone storage as well as coastal radar sites, just over a week after Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at a permanent peace deal. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp claimed retaliation for the U.S. strikes, accusing the U.S. of violating commitments regarding passage in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a swift escalation of tensions, the U.S. military launched retaliatory strikes against Iran on Friday, following President Donald Trump's accusation that Tehran had committed a "foolish violation" of a 60-day ceasefire agreement. The contentious strikes came in response to drone attacks on commercial shipping in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Central Command confirmed its aircraft targeted "Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites," a move that marks a significant setback for recent diplomatic efforts. Just over a week prior, President Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) designed to forge a lasting peace deal and conclude the ongoing conflict between their nations. Vice President JD Vance had even traveled to Switzerland last weekend for crucial discussions with Iranian counterparts regarding the implementation of this nascent agreement.
The immediate trigger for the U.S. action was Thursday's attack by a one-way drone, launched by Iran, which struck the Singapore-flagged cargo ship Ever Lovely in the strait off the coast of Oman. While the vessel managed to continue its journey through the critical waterway—a key artery for global oil shipments—the incident was deemed a grave breach. President Trump also stated that the U.S. military successfully intercepted three other attack drones targeting ships in the strait. "The unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces clearly violated the ceasefire," U.S. Central Command asserted in a post on X, adding that Iran's "dangerous behavior undermined freedom of navigation as commerce increasingly flows through the vital international trade corridor."
An F-35B Lighting II, attached to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121, takes off from the flight deck of America-class amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7), May 13, 2026.
Courtesy: U.S. Navy
Vice President Vance, expressing his administration's stance, posted on X on Friday: "Iran signed a ceasefire agreement. We have honored it. If they have disagreements about how the MOU is being applied, they can pick up the phone. But violence will be met with violence."
Prior to the official announcement of the retaliatory strikes, President Trump, when queried by a reporter at the White House about potential consequences for Iran's ceasefire violation, cryptically replied, "You'll find out."
In a defiant response, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) issued a statement post-U.S. strikes. The IRGC accused the "treaty-breaking US regime" of violating its commitments under various pretexts, specifically citing the passage of a "violating ship through an unauthorized route in the Strait of Hormuz." They claimed that their IRGC Navy had "responded to this aggression by striking the positions of the US terrorist army in the region." The statement further asserted that "according to clause 5 of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, the arrangements for controlling passage in the Strait of Hormuz are with the Islamic Republic of Iran; however, the US, by provoking various parties, sought to violate this commitment, to which a necessary response was given, and this will be the case from now on. If the aggression is repeated, our response will be broader than this." This implies a reference to an agreement not explicitly detailed in the initial text but mentioned by the IRGC.
Ebrahim Azizi, head of the national security commission of the Iranian parliament, echoed the sentiment of betrayal, posting on X: "The U.S. attacked Iran in the middle of negotiations once again. The failed U.S. President has shown he has no commitment to the principles of negotiation or a ceasefire. This reckless violation of the ceasefire will, as always, lead to retreat and regret on their part. The blame game does not work anymore." The current events underscore the fragile nature of Middle Eastern geopolitics, even in the shadow of aspiring peace accords.
