US bombs Iranian military sites after Tehran's drone hits cargo ship in Strait of Hormuz, shattering week-old ceasefire
American warplanes struck rocket and drone depots and coastal radar stations in Iran on Friday, hours after a ship in the Strait of Hormuz was hit by an Iranian drone, threatening a fragile ceasefire and a diplomatic effort to reopen the world’s most critical oil chokepoint.
The Thursday drone attack
A Singapore-flagged cargo vessel, the MV Ever Lovely, was hit by an Iranian one-way drone as it exited the Strait of Hormuz along the Omani coast on Thursday. The UK Maritime Trade Operations authority said an “unknown projectile” damaged the ship’s bridge, but the freighter was able to continue its voyage. The incident occurred shortly after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned that vessels would be safe only on routes approved by Tehran. US President Donald Trump, writing on Truth Social, said at least four drones were launched and that three were shot down by American forces.
This is obviously a foolish violation of our ceasefire agreement.
US retaliation on Friday
The US Central Command said American aircraft bombed Iranian missile and drone storage sites as well as coastal radar installations in what it called a “forceful response” to the attack. Explosions were reported near the Iranian town of Sirik in Hormozgan province, along the Persian Gulf. Centcom called Iran’s action an “unjustified aggression” and a clear breach of the truce. The strikes mark the first US military action against Iran since a preliminary ceasefire was agreed.
Unwarranted aggression by Iranian forces against merchant shipping constituted a clear violation of the ceasefire.
Ceasefire under strain
Just a week ago, Washington and Tehran sealed a framework deal to halt hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran had blocked shortly after US and Israeli attacks began in early March. The agreement launched a 60‑day negotiating period covering Iran’s nuclear programme, the strait’s future, and other security matters. The drone strike and US retaliation now place those negotiations in doubt.
- Ceasefire framework agreed; 60-day negotiation phase begins.
- Iranian drone hits MV Ever Lovely; ship damaged but continues.
- Trump accuses Iran, warns of consequences.
- US airstrikes hit Iranian military sites near Sirik.
Seafarer crisis
Before the latest violence, the International Maritime Organization had begun evacuating crews from hundreds of ships trapped in the strait since the blockade started. The attack on the Ever Lovely brought that operation to a halt, leaving around 11,000 sailors stranded, according to the IMO. The strait handles a substantial share of global oil shipments, and any prolonged disruption threatens energy markets.
Regional reverberations
Parallel to the US‑Iran escalation, Iran-backed Hezbollah signalled it will not accept a Lebanon‑Israel framework agreement unless Israel fully withdraws from Lebanon. Hassan Fadlallah, a Hezbollah parliamentary bloc member, said the deal could only be enforced through a US‑backed civil war and that the group would retain its weapons. Meanwhile, Arab media reported that technical talks between the US and Iran are scheduled for Sunday and Monday at the Bürgenstock resort in Switzerland, aiming to stabilise the Gulf situation.
