Fresh military exchanges between the United States and Iran in and around the Strait of Hormuz have raised questions about the month-old ceasefire between the two sides.
Missile launches and drone attacks unfolded late on Thursday and early Friday, marking the most serious confrontation
since the truce came into effect in April.
What is the latest in the Strait of Hormuz?
The confrontation
began with attacks around the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
According to the United States military’s Central Command (CENTCOM), Iranian forces launched attacks against three American destroyers — USS Truxtun (DDG 103), USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115), and USS Mason (DDG 87) — while the warships were moving through the international sea passage.
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CENTCOM described the Iranian action as “unprovoked” and said the American vessels successfully intercepted incoming threats without suffering damage.
In a statement issued after the clashes, CENTCOM said its forces responded by targeting Iranian military infrastructure connected to the attack. Those strikes reportedly included missile launch positions, drone facilities, intelligence nodes and command-and-control locations.
The US military stated that its response was intended to neutralise immediate threats to American naval forces operating in the region. “Centcom does not seek escalation but remains positioned and ready to protect American forces,” the statement said.
US President Donald Trump later praised the American naval crews and described the transit through the strait as successful despite being targeted.
“Three World Class American Destroyers just transited, very successfully, out of the Strait of Hormuz, under fire. There was no damage done to the three Destroyers, but great damage done to the Iranian attackers,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump also claimed that American forces destroyed several Iranian assets during the confrontation, including drones, missiles and multiple small boats.
The US president later attempted to minimise the significance of the incident during remarks to reporters in Washington. “They trifled with us today. We blew them away,” Trump said. “They trifled. I call that a trifle.”
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In a separate interaction with ABC News, Trump again played down the exchange, calling it “just a love tap.”
Who violated the ceasefire first?
Iran’s military leadership offered a sharply different account of the confrontation, accusing Washington of initiating the escalation through strikes on civilian and commercial targets.
Iran’s top joint military command stated that the United States had violated the ceasefire by attacking two vessels near the Strait of Hormuz and conducting airstrikes on populated coastal areas.
A spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said the US targeted “an Iranian oil tanker traveling from Iran’s coastal waters near Jask toward the Strait of Hormuz, as well as another vessel entering the Strait of Hormuz near the Emirati port of Fujairah.”
The spokesperson also alleged that the United States, “with the cooperation of some regional countries,” carried out attacks on civilian locations.
“At the same time, with the cooperation of some regional countries, they carried out air attacks on civilian areas along the coasts of Bandar Khamir, Sirik, and Qeshm Island,” the spokesperson said in a statement carried by Iranian state media.
Iranian military officials described the United States military as “aggressive,” “terrorist,” and “pirate” forces that had breached the ceasefire agreement.
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Tehran also said its forces retaliated by targeting American naval vessels east of the Strait of Hormuz and south of the Iranian port city of Chabahar.
Iran’s military
though CENTCOM denied that any American military equipment or vessels were struck.
Iranian state broadcaster Press TV later reported that fighting around Iranian islands and coastal areas near the strait had subsided after several hours of exchanges. “The situation on Iranian islands and coastal cities by the strait of Hormuz is back to normal now,” Press TV reported.
How fragile has the ceasefire been?
Even before Thursday’s military exchange, the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran had appeared increasingly unstable.
The truce was reached on April 7 following intense diplomatic efforts that reportedly involved Pakistan playing a mediating role. The arrangement included a temporary reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and was intended to create space for broader negotiations aimed at ending the conflict that began on February 28.
Although large-scale attacks had largely stopped after the ceasefire took effect, both countries had continued accusing each other of provocations over the past month.
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Iran had periodically targeted Gulf states hosting US military facilities, including the United Arab Emirates. The UAE announced early Friday that its air defence systems were intercepting missile and drone threats originating from Iran.
The US and Iran had already exchanged fire earlier this week as tensions escalated around American naval operations in the Strait of Hormuz.
On Monday, the United States military announced that it had destroyed six Iranian small boats as well as cruise missiles and drones during operations linked to protecting shipping traffic.
Those operations
were connected to “Project Freedom,” a US naval initiative designed to escort and guide stranded commercial tankers through the Strait of Hormuz after disruptions caused by the conflict.
Trump had described the effort as necessary to secure freedom of navigation through the strategic waterway. Iran responded to those operations by firing at US naval vessels, commercial ships and targets in the UAE.
Although Trump later scaled back the operation intended to facilitate shipping through the strait, Washington maintained its naval blockade on Iranian vessels.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADHas the Iran war restarted?
Despite the renewed violence, diplomatic negotiations between Washington and Tehran have not officially collapsed. Trump repeatedly stated on Thursday that discussions with Iran were ongoing and suggested that both sides were still exploring a broader agreement to formally end hostilities.
“We’re negotiating with the Iranians,” Trump told reporters.
According to reports,
the United States has put forward a proposal that could serve as the basis for a more comprehensive settlement. However, significant disputes remain unresolved.
One of the central disagreements involves Iran’s nuclear programme. Trump claimed Tehran had effectively accepted Washington’s position that Iran could never acquire nuclear weapons.
“There’s zero chance. And they know that, and they’ve agreed to that. Let’s see if they are willing to sign it,” Trump said. At the same time, Trump acknowledged uncertainty surrounding the negotiations.
“It might not happen, but it could happen any day. I believe they want to deal more than I do,” he said.
Pakistan has also repeatedly indicated that progress was being made toward a temporary arrangement. Officials in Islamabad claimed this week that both sides were close to reaching a basic interim understanding that could pause hostilities while negotiations continued on a broader settlement.
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According to those officials, Tehran was reviewing a US proposal that could potentially lead to a more durable diplomatic framework. However, despite periodic claims of imminent breakthroughs, efforts to secure a long-term agreement have so far produced limited tangible progress.
How are oil markets reacting?
Global energy markets reacted almost immediately to the renewed fighting. Oil prices climbed sharply on Friday after the latest hostilities reduced optimism that the Strait of Hormuz could soon reopen fully to normal commercial traffic.
Brent crude,
which had fallen to around $96 a barrel earlier on Thursday amid hopes of diplomatic progress, later surged above $100 and traded near $101.50 following the exchanges between the US and Iran.
The economic impact of the conflict has already become significant, particularly in the United States. According to data from the American Automobile Association, average US gasoline prices have risen more than 40 per cent since late February.
Prices reportedly increased by approximately $1.20 per gallon to exceed $4 per gallon as tensions around Gulf shipping intensified.
The increase in fuel costs has also created political complications for Trump domestically.
During his re-election campaign, Trump had promised to reduce energy costs and avoid involving the United States in prolonged foreign conflicts. The continuing instability around the Strait of Hormuz has therefore created pressure on both fronts simultaneously.
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At the same time, Trump has continued portraying the US military response as necessary to deter Iran and protect international shipping.
He also warned Tehran against further provocations. “Just like we knocked them out again today, we’ll knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently, in the future, if they don’t get their Deal signed, FAST,” Trump wrote.
Iran responded with its own warning. “Iran will respond powerfully and without the slightest hesitation to any attack,” Iran’s military command said.
With inputs from agencies
First Published:
May 08, 2026, 10:17 IST
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