US and Iran trade strikes in Strait of Hormuz, ceasefire teeters on its tenth day

Ceasefire breaches days after the accord

The ceasefire protocol between the United States and Iran, signed on 17 June to end the war in the Middle East, crumbled in its tenth day. On Friday 26 June, a commercial ship was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, and Washington blamed Tehran. The US military responded with the first known airstrikes on Iranian territory since the protocol took effect, hitting missile and drone storage sites and coastal radar installations. Iran’s foreign ministry called the strikes a "flagrant violation" of the UN Charter and the bilateral accord.

US and Iran trade strikes

Late Friday the US struck targets in Iran, and by Saturday the Revolutionary Guard announced it had attacked American military positions in the Gulf region in retaliation. The Guard warned:

“If the aggression is repeated, our response will be broader than this.”

Bahrain said it was targeted by several Iranian drones, accusing Tehran of sabotaging peace efforts. The sequence reversed a brief calm that had settled over the Strait after the mid-June protocol.

Tanker damaged in the Strait

Amid the exchange, the British maritime agency UKMTO reported that a tanker was hit by an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz. Vanguard Tech identified the vessel as the Panama-flagged KIKU, with damage to the bridge but the crew safe. Iranian state television separately reported an explosion on a quay in Sirik, southern Iran, and warning shots aimed at ships it described as "infringing vessels". Despite the tension, dozens of commercial ships continued to use routes that had not been approved by Tehran.

Lebanon deal and Hezbollah protests

While violence erupted at sea, a diplomatic development on another front drew swift backlash. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed a framework agreement reached between Israel and Lebanon, calling it a blow to Iran and Hezbollah. In Beirut, Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah warned that applying the accord would risk a "civil war" in Lebanon, and supporters took to the streets to protest. France said it was ready to contribute to the accord.

Diplomatic warnings from Washington

US Vice President JD Vance posted on X that Iran had signed a ceasefire it was now breaking.

“Iran signed a ceasefire agreement. We respected it. If they have disagreements on implementing the protocol, they can pick up the phone. But violence will only beget violence.”

President Donald Trump called the attack on the cargo ship a "stupid violation" of the ceasefire. Asked about a possible US military response, he replied evasively:

“You’ll see.”