United States Launches Self-Defense Strikes After Iran Attacks Three Navy Ships in Strait of Hormuz

The United States and Iran traded fire in the Strait of Hormuz after Iran launched attacks that the US said it intercepted on three Navy ships, while Iran said its armed forces exchanged fire with “the enemy” on Qeshm Island.

The US Central Command said it responded with “self-defense strikes” after three Navy destroyers came under missile and drone fire, and it said no ships were hit.

Al-Jazeera Net

President Donald Trump insisted the ceasefire was still holding, telling ABC News, “The ceasefire is going. It’s in effect,” while also describing the strikes as “just a love tap”.

Iran’s defence ministry said it was “dealing with missile and drone attacks originating from Iran,” and it said its systems were intercepting “ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones” as the attacks continued into the region.

Trump framed the exchange as a test of the truce, saying “They trifled with us today. We blew them away,” and he warned that Washington would “knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently” if Iran does not sign a deal soon.

Iran’s parliament’s national security committee head Ebrahim Azizi wrote on X, “Making the same mistake again and again won’t get you a different answer; only a stronger one. Respect the new maritime regime of Iran.”

Al-Najah Al-Ikhbari

The United Arab Emirates said its air defenses engaged incoming missiles and drones from Iran, and the UAE’s defense ministry urged the public to “remain calm,” after several Iranian news outlets framed Abu Dhabi as partly responsible for the uptick in violence.

CNN reported that Iran’s armed forces said US airstrikes hit civilian areas, while the US said it targeted Iranian military facilities responsible for attacking its warships in the Strait of Hormuz.

The ceasefire, described as month-old since April 8, was under strain as the US and Iran traded accusations over attacks on vessels, with Iran accusing the US of violating the ceasefire by attacking an oil tanker and another ship on Thursday.

Pakistan’s foreign minister Ishaq Dar said he spoke with his Iranian and Singaporean counterparts about repatriating crew members on ships seized by the US, asking the Singaporean foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan for help repatriating “11 Pakistani and 20 Iranian seafarers, aboard vessels seized by US authorities and currently near Singaporean waters”.

The BBC reported that the crisis raised questions about whether Gulf capitals would reduce reliance on American military power, while it described the US security umbrella in the Gulf as a long-standing arrangement.

In Washington, Trump told reporters that a deal with Iran “might not happen, but it could happen any day,” as the US continued to insist it does not seek escalation while remaining positioned and ready to protect American forces.