US strikes Iran in 'powerful response' to drone attack on cargo ship in Strait of Hormuz
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "US strikes Iran in 'powerful response' to drone attack on cargo ship in Strait of Hormuz")
An American pilot sits in the cockpit of a F-35 fighter jet after it landed in the Israeli Nevatim Air force base in the Negev desert. Photograph: (AFP)
The US military said the strikes were a powerful response to yesterday's attack on a commercial ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz, adding that it remains vigilant to ensure the agreement with Iran is fully observed.
The US military carried out airstrikes on Iranian missile and drone storage sites, along with coastal radar locations, on Friday in response to an Iranian drone attack on a commercial cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
According to CENTCOM, the strikes followed Iran's June 25 attack on the Singapore-flagged cargo ship M/V Ever Lovely as it was leaving the Strait of Hormuz along the Omani coast.
“U.S. aircraft struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites after Iran hit M/V Ever Lovely on June 25 with a one-way attack drone. The Singapore-flagged cargo ship was exiting the Strait of Hormuz along the Omani coast at the time of Iran’s attack,” Centcom said on X.
The unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces clearly violated the ceasefire. Furthermore, Iran’s dangerous behaviour undermined freedom of navigation as commerce increasingly flows through the vital international trade corridor," it added.
The US military said Iran's attack on the commercial vessel violated the ceasefire and threatened freedom of navigation through one of the world's busiest maritime trade routes. It added that American forces would continue coordinating safe passage for commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz while remaining vigilant to enforce the agreement with Iran.
The strikes came hours after US President Donald Trump condemned what he described as an Iranian drone attack on the cargo vessel, calling it "Obviously, this is a foolish violation of our ceasefire agreement."
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Friday, Trump declined to say how Washington might respond or whether he believed the ceasefire remained in force.
"You'll find out," he said. "I don't like the fact that they took a shot yesterday. They shouldn't be doing that."
The latest incident has raised fresh concerns over efforts to keep the Strait of Hormuz open as Washington and Tehran continue negotiations on a permanent settlement to the conflict that began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.
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Iran has warned ships against entering or leaving the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz without its permission. Despite the warning, commercial vessels have continued to transit the waterway, with some using routes not authorised by Tehran.
The drone attack occurred just over a week after Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a memorandum of understanding on June 17 aimed at securing a permanent peace agreement between the two countries.
