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This is a direct response after Tehran attacked a commercial vessel near this vital waterway on Thursday.
"U.S. aircraft attacked Iranian missile storage sites, drone depots, and coastal radar locations," a CENTCOM representative stated.
"The unprovoked aggression by Iranian forces against commercial vessels clearly violated the ceasefire agreement."
However, a U.S. official told CNN that this was merely a selective response, not a sign that Washington was returning to large-scale warfare.
Reactions from both sides
In a Truth Social post Friday afternoon, President Donald Trump criticized Iran's attack on ships in the strait as a "stupid violation."
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President Donald Trump criticized Iran's attack on ships in the strait as a "stupid violation." Photo: Reuters. |
He confirmed: “Iran fired at least four unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. One hit the upper deck of a large and very expensive cargo ship. We shot down the other three.”
When asked about the conflict between military action and ongoing negotiations, Trump offered a brief comment on Iran: "They are a slightly different case."
Despite the tense situation, President Trump remains cautious about resuming the war, something he himself acknowledged last week could lead to an "economic catastrophe" if prolonged.
Regarding a potentially deeper response, Trump remained tight-lipped: "You'll find out soon enough."
At a meeting with conservative Christian leaders in Washington afterward, Trump acknowledged that Iran still possessed military capabilities despite having gone through months of war with the U.S.: “They can still fire. I didn’t like the fact that they fired yesterday… They shouldn’t have done that.”
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Vice President JD Vance: Violence will be met with violence. Photo: Reuters. |
Vice President JD Vance, who played a key role in last week's agreement with Iran, also issued a warning on social media: “Iran has signed a ceasefire agreement and we respect that. If they have a disagreement, they can pick up the phone. But violence will be met with violence.”
On Tehran's side, Iranian state television quoted the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as warning of a "swift and decisive" response. The IRGC also claimed to have repelled an attack on Sirik Island, located on the coast of the Strait of Hormuz.
Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament's national security committee, responded to Trump on social media: "The Strait of Hormuz is under Iranian control, so respect the rules of the game. Don't confuse control with escalation of conflict. This is not a violation of the ceasefire, this is how the ceasefire is managed."
A context of prolonged tension.
This is seen as the most important test of the interim agreement the two countries reached a week ago to end the months-long war and reopen this vital sea route.
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Currently, the two sides have deep disagreements regarding the implementation of the agreement:
Regarding the right to collect fees: Mr. Trump insists the strait must be free to pass through, while Tehran maintains its position that it has the right to collect fees from passing ships.
Regarding safe passage: Iran's Revolutionary Guard declared that ships could only pass safely if they followed a designated route, challenging the US claim that the route was free and unobstructed.
Freight and traffic: Prior to the attack, shipping traffic through the strait had begun to recover (78 vessels on Wednesday), but the rate of normalization has now slowed considerably. Many oil tankers have been forced to turn back or change routes due to concerns about risk.
Impact on maritime security
The cargo ship attacked yesterday, flying the Singapore flag and operated by Evergreen Marine (Taiwan), was struck by an unidentified object off the coast of Oman. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.
The incident occurred at a time when the International Maritime Organization (IMO) was carrying out an operation to evacuate approximately 600 stranded vessels from the strait via an alternative route along the Omani coast.
Immediately after the attack, the IMO decided to suspend evacuations until safety could be guaranteed. Prior to this, approximately 115 ships had successfully passed through the area.
Analysts believe that Iran's attempt to control this waterway is not just a maritime issue, but also a key bargaining chip in peace negotiations with Washington. The world is now closely watching to see whether this is an isolated incident or a sign of a breakdown in this already fragile agreement.
Source: https://znews.vn/my-tan-cong-cac-muc-tieu-iran-post1663565.html
