US and Iran exchange strikes amid concerns over Hormuz ceasefire
The United States and Iran have launched reciprocal attacks targeting missile sites and ports in the Strait of Hormuz, raising doubts about the durability of a June cease-fire agreement.
U.S. Central Command said aircraft hit missile and drone storage facilities and radar sites along Iran’s southern coast on Friday, describing the strikes as a response to an earlier attack on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. The vessel, the Singapore-flagged Ever Lovely, was hit by an unknown projectile off Oman on Thursday; Iran neither confirmed nor denied involvement.
The U.S. military released an unclassified video of an explosion and claimed the incident violated the cease-fire, adding that it would continue to provide safe-passage coordination for commercial ships. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it retaliated against U.S. installations in the region, warning that any further aggression would prompt a larger response.
Bahrain’s foreign ministry condemned a reported Iranian drone attack on its territory, calling it a breach of sovereignty. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported a tanker hit by an unidentified projectile, with all crew members safe.
Iran’s foreign ministry accused the U.S. strikes of breaching Article 1 of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) that ended hostilities, and adviser Mohsen Rezaei said the attacks violated Article 5, which obliges both sides to ensure safe passage for commercial vessels. The MoU provides for a 60-day period of free, uncharged navigation through the strait, after which further arrangements are to be negotiated.
Analysts said the latest exchanges place the MoU under significant strain. Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute warned that the odds of the agreement holding are “sharply” reduced, while Andrea Dessi of the American University of Rome described the deal as “extremely delicate” and at risk of collapse. Both U.S. officials and Iranian representatives have emphasized the strategic importance of the Hormuz corridor and the need to avoid a broader conflict.
