WASHINGTON (TNND) — A suspected Iranian drone attack on a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz is raising new concerns about the durability of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire and the security of one of the world’s most important shipping lanes.
U.S. officials say an Iranian drone struck a Singapore-flagged commercial cargo ship as it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The vessel suffered damage, but no crew injuries were reported and the ship remained seaworthy.
President Donald Trump said on Friday that Iran fired multiple drones at the vessel and that U.S. forces intercepted several of them.
“They shot a drone yesterday at a big ship,” Trump told the room during a speech at the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s conference in Washington. “Four of them — we knocked down three of them.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump called the attack a “foolish violation of our Ceasefire Agreement.”
The incident comes just days after the ceasefire helped reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping. The narrow waterway connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea and is considered one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints.
Iran responded by warning ships to avoid what it described as unauthorized routes through the strait, saying vessels that do not comply would not receive safety guarantees.
Retired Gen. Jack Keane, with the Institute for the Study of War, said Iran’s actions amount to a ceasefire violation.
“Violating the ceasefire is what it is,” Keane said during an interview with Fox News.
He also said Iran is attempting to exert control over shipping in international waters.
“They’re exercising administrative control, and certainly that is prohibited,” Keane said. “By that I mean they’re telling ships where they can go and when they can go.”
The attack prompted the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization to suspend its operation, helping hundreds of stranded ships and more than 11,000 sailors safely leave the region.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with leaders this week in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain, reassuring Gulf allies that the United States remains committed to regional security and keeping the strait open to commercial traffic.
“The Straits of Hormuz are international waters,” Rubio said. “International waterways do not belong to any nation-state.”
For now, oil markets have remained relatively calm, with crude prices falling as traders bet that supplies will continue to move despite the disruption. But analysts warn any further attacks, prolonged delays or expanded Iranian interference with shipping could quickly reverse that trend.
The incident is also raising broader questions about whether the ceasefire can hold as diplomatic teams work toward a wider U.S.-Iran peace agreement.