- US launched Friday strikes after Iran’s drone attack.
- Iranian missile, drone, and coastal radar sites targeted.
- Iran defended actions; US warned against further violence.
The United States carried out military strikes on Iran on Friday, a day after a drone attack targeted a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, marking the most serious challenge yet to the understanding reached between Washington and Tehran to de-escalate their months-long conflict and restore security in the strategically vital waterway.
The situation escalated further hours later after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy announced that it had launched retaliatory strikes against US military positions in the region in response to the American operation, intensifying fears that the fragile ceasefire could unravel.
US President Donald Trump said the drone strike amounted to a violation of the ceasefire. The military action came shortly after he hinted at a possible response while speaking to reporters, Associated Press reported.
“You’ll find out,” Trump said when asked whether the United States would retaliate.
Missile, Drone And Radar Sites Targeted
The US Central Command said American forces struck missile and drone storage positions, along with coastal radar installations inside Iran in response to a one-way drone attack on M/V Ever Lovely on June 25.
“The Singapore-flagged cargo ship was exiting the Strait of Hormuz along the Omani coast at the time of Iran’s attack,” CENTCOM said.
Speaking at the White House before the operation, Trump criticised Tehran over the previous day’s attack.
“I don’t like the fact that they took a shot yesterday, actually four of them,” Trump said.
When questioned about authorising military action despite repeatedly saying negotiations with Tehran were progressing well, Trump replied: “They’re a little bit different.”
ALSO READ: ‘Foolish Ceasefire Violation’: Trump Alleges Iran Fired Four Attack Drones At Ships
Iran Defends Its Position
Earlier on Friday, Ebrahim Azizi, who chairs the Iranian parliament’s national security commission, responded to Trump’s remarks through social media.
He wrote that “the Strait of Hormuz is governed by Iran, so: Respect the rules” and urged Washington to “not mistake control for escalation.”
“This is not a violation of the ceasefire; it is ceasefire management,” Azizi wrote.
US Vice President JD Vance took to X to warn Iran against violation of ceasefire agreement. He urged Tehran to “pick up the phone” to talk if there are disagreements about the peace deal.
“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,” he wrote on X.
“But violence will be met with violence,” Vance warned.
Iran Announces Retaliatory Strikes
Following the US operation, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said it had targeted US military positions in the region in retaliation for the American strikes on Iranian coastal facilities.
Iran’s state-run IRNA News Agency reported that the retaliatory operation was launched shortly after the US attack.
Ebrahim Azizi accused Washington of violating the ceasefire and acting in bad faith during ongoing diplomatic efforts.
“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,” Azizi said in a post on X.
ALSO READ: US Announces Framework Agreement Between Israel And Lebanon
Operation Ends Within An Hour
According to a US official familiar with the matter, the strikes concluded about an hour after the US Central Command announced the operation on social media.
The official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the military operation was still ongoing, confirmed the action had ended shortly after it began.
