U.S. Conducts Airstrikes on Iranian Sites After Drone Attack on Commercial Vessel
The United States launched airstrikes targeting Iranian missile and drone storage facilities following a drone strike on the cargo ship Ever Lovely in the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns over the fragility of a recent cease-fire agreement.
The U.S. Central Command said on Friday that American aircraft struck Iranian missile and drone storage sites and coastal radar installations after a cargo vessel was hit by a drone near the Strait of Hormuz. The attacks were carried out near the southern Iranian port of Sirik.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) responded by saying it had hit U.S. military installations in the region and warned that any further aggression would elicit a larger response.
The incident involves the Singapore-registered container ship Ever Lovely, which was struck by a projectile while transiting the waterway near Oman. No crew members were injured and the vessel continued its voyage.
U.S. officials described the drone strike as a violation of a June 17 memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran that called for a cease-fire and the free passage of commercial shipping through the strait. CENTCOM stated that the aggression “clearly violated the ceasefire” and undermined freedom of navigation.
Vice President JD Vance said any violence would be met with a response, and the White House reiterated its commitment to ensure safe passage for commercial vessels.
Analysts noted that the U.S. response appeared measured compared with earlier actions, suggesting a distinction between attacks on commercial shipping and attacks on U.S. warships, while also acknowledging the risk of further escalation. Former diplomat Alan Eyre highlighted the ambiguity of the memorandum, which leaves room for differing interpretations of how shipping traffic should be managed in the strait.
