U.S. and Iran exchange airstrikes after tanker attack, raising doubts over cease-fire
U.S. forces struck Iranian missile and drone sites in response to an attack on a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran said it hit American targets in Bahrain and Kuwait, prompting concerns that the recent cease-fire could unravel.
U.S. military aircraft carried out airstrikes on four Iranian sites along the Strait of Hormuz and Qeshm Island on Friday, targeting missile and drone storage facilities and coastal radar installations, a senior official said. The operation was described as a direct response to an earlier Iranian projectile strike on the Panamanian-flagged tanker Kiku in the strait.
No U.S. casualties were reported, and the immediate impact on American assets was unclear. Kuwait’s army and Bahrain’s interior ministry reported missile and drone threats, though they did not identify the source.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that American bases in the region would face severe attacks, and state media described the U.S. strikes as a violation of the cease-fire agreement signed earlier this month. Iran also said it had launched attacks on U.S. targets in Bahrain and Kuwait.
The exchange of fire comes as both sides test the limits of the recently brokered truce, which had previously allowed a rise in commercial shipping through the strait. Analysts said the back-and-forth strikes could jeopardize ongoing negotiations over a broader peace settlement.
The United States reiterated its commitment to protect commercial navigation, with Central Command stating that Iranian aggression against shipping breached the cease-fire and that it continues to coordinate safe passage for vessels.
Regional authorities, including the British-run maritime monitoring agency, raised the threat level in the Strait of Hormuz to “substantial” after reports of the tanker hit. Shipping firms warned that the heightened risk could deter vessels from using the waterway, undermining recent gains in traffic volumes.
Both governments have exchanged heated rhetoric. President Trump posted a message warning that further Iranian violations could lead to more extensive military action. Iranian officials denied establishing a direct military hotline with the United States and warned of swift retaliation if the memorandum’s terms were breached.
