Trump Threatens Iran After U.S. Operation Targets Drones and Small Boats in Strait of Hormuz

A sharp escalation in attacks around the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf on Monday threatened a fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire, as the United States launched an operation to help ships trapped with their crews in the Gulf.

“United Nations: 20,000 sailors at direct risk in the Strait of Hormuz”

Anadolu Ajansi

The Guardian reported that Donald Trump threatened that Iran will be “blown off the face of the earth” if it attacks US vessels trying to reopen a route through the strait of Hormuz.

Anadolu Ajansi

The same Guardian account said the U.S. launched “Project Freedom” to help hundreds of ships trapped with their crews in the Gulf, while Tehran sought to reassert its blockade on the strait.

The Washington Post framed the moment as a threat to a “shaky ceasefire between Iran and the United States” as the two sides struggled to make progress in talks on a lasting end to the war.

CNN described the ceasefire as being “tested” after both sides fired shots in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting Trump to decline to say if the truce remains in place.

In the U.S. military’s account, Adm. Brad Cooper said the U.S. used attack helicopters to blow up small boats and intercept drones, while also saying no vessels were hit and no one was injured, according to NBC News.

Multiple outlets also described the U.S. effort as defensive and focused on protecting commercial shipping, with Cooper saying the U.S. was “merely there as a defensive force” to give “a very thick layer of defense to commercial shipping.”

As Project Freedom unfolded, the outlets described a contested sequence of attacks, interceptions, and denials between the U.S. and Iran.

The Guardian said the U.S. military claimed to have destroyed six Iranian small boats and intercepted both Iranian cruise missiles and drones, which was denied by Tehran.

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

It also reported that Iran’s military central command warned it would strike any U.S. naval vessel approaching the strait and claimed to have struck a U.S. frigate in the area with two missiles, while U.S. Central Command denied that claim and said no U.S. Navy ships had been struck.

NBC News similarly said Iran fired cruise missiles and drones and launched small boats to target U.S.-flagged ships, but that “no vessels have been hit and no one was injured,” and it quoted Adm. Brad Cooper saying the U.S. used attack helicopters to blow up the small boats and intercept the drones.

CNN reported that the U.S. military “blew up” six small Iranian boats in the Strait of Hormuz, while also noting that a report in Iranian state media disputed the U.S. claim of having sunk the boats.

The Hill described the same core exchange as retaliation, saying “Iran opened fire on U.S. warships” and that the U.S. military retaliated by destroying six Iranian small boats, according to Centcom leader Adm. Brad Cooper.

Fox News added that senior officials said the U.S. was “closer to the resumption of major combat operations” than 24 hours earlier, while also stating “No orders to end the ceasefire have been given.”

Across the accounts, the U.S. and Iran also disputed whether any U.S. warship was hit, with the Guardian saying U.S. Central Command denied Iran’s claim and NBC News saying Central Command said no ship was hit.

In parallel, the UAE and other regional reporting described missile and drone activity over the UAE, with the Guardian saying the UAE defence ministry said its air defences engaged 15 Iranian missiles and four drones in a fresh barrage on Monday.

The crisis also played out through direct threats and diplomatic messaging from top officials, with multiple outlets quoting language that underscored how quickly the situation could escalate.

“What happened next: Maersk announced the safe passage of a US-flagged commercial vessel through the Strait of Hormuz with the accompaniment of US military forces”

BBC

The Guardian reported that Trump threatened that Iran will be “blown off the face of the earth” if it attacks US vessels trying to reopen a route through the strait of Hormuz, and it said the comments came as the U.S. launched “Project Freedom.”

CNN described Trump warning that Iranian forces would be “blown off the face of the Earth” if they attempted to target US ships in the strait or the Persian Gulf, and it quoted Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warning the U.S. and UAE against getting drawn into a “quagmire.”

CNN also quoted Araghchi dismissing the U.S. plan, writing: “Project Freedom is Project Deadlock.”

CBS News quoted Araghchi saying “talks are making progress,” but also criticizing “Project Freedom” as incapable of solving the political crisis, with the same line: “Events in Hormuz make clear that there's no military solution to a political crisis.”

The Guardian added that British prime minister Keir Starmer condemned Iran’s drone and missile strikes targeting the United Arab Emirates and said, “We stand in solidarity with the UAE and will continue to support the defence of our partners in the Gulf. This escalation must cease.”

Starmer’s office, as cited by Reuters in the Guardian, also said Iran needs to engage meaningfully in negotiations to ensure the ceasefire in the Middle East endures, and a long-term diplomatic solution is achieved.

Saudi Arabia’s position was also quoted directly in the Guardian, with the Saudi foreign ministry saying it called for de-escalation and urging Iran to “respect the principles of good neighborliness.”

In a separate framing, NPR quoted Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry statement on X saying it expressed “concern regarding the current military escalation in the region” and called for “the need to de-escalate,” while also condemning Iranian targeting of civilian and economic facilities in the United Arab Emirates.

While the core facts of the day—Project Freedom, missile and drone activity, and competing claims—were shared across outlets, the reporting diverged in how it emphasized the state of the ceasefire and the scale of the U.S. response.

CNN said Trump declined to say if the ceasefire is still in effect during an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt, and it quoted Trump telling Hewitt, “Well, I can’t tell you that.”

BNN Bloomberg

The Washington Post described the escalation as threatening the “shaky ceasefire” as the two sides struggled to make progress in talks, while CNN framed the day as putting the “fragile ceasefire on even shakier footing.”

NBC News, by contrast, reported that the U.S. commander of U.S. Central Command said no vessels were hit and no one was injured, and it quoted Adm. Brad Cooper saying the U.S. was “merely there as a defensive force” to enforce a “thick layer of defense” for commercial shipping.

Fox News described the U.S. posture as edging toward restarting “major combat operations,” saying senior officials told Jennifer Griffin that the U.S. was “closer to the resumption of major combat operations” than 24 hours ago, while also asserting “No orders to end the ceasefire have been given.”

The Hill similarly described the U.S. retaliation as destroying six small boats, but it also said the U.S. naval blockade “will remain in effect,” and it quoted Cooper saying he “strongly advised” Iran to steer clear of U.S. military assets.

Meanwhile, the Guardian emphasized the U.S. claim of destroying six small boats and intercepting missiles and drones, while also highlighting Iran’s denial and its claim that it struck a U.S. frigate with two missiles.

NPR’s account stressed that the UAE said it had been attacked for the first time since a fragile ceasefire took hold in early April, and it quoted the UAE Defense Ministry saying its air defenses had engaged 15 missiles and four drones, while also describing the U.S. as having opened a lane through the strait “free of Iranian mines.”

Even within the same outlet set, the numbers and details varied: the Guardian said the UAE defence ministry engaged 15 missiles and four drones, while CNN said the UAE air defenses “engaged” 19 Iranian missiles and drones.

Fox News said the UAE said more than a dozen Iranian missiles and drones were launched, leaving three people injured, while NBC News said the UAE ministry posted that it had “engaged” 12 ballistic missiles, 3 cruise missiles and 4 drones fired from Iran, resulting in 3 mild injuries.

These differences shaped how each outlet conveyed whether the day represented a limited defensive action or a step toward broader combat operations.

The reporting portrayed immediate consequences and looming decisions as the U.S. and Iran tested the ceasefire while trying to reopen the strait for commercial shipping.

“What to know about the Iran war today: - Iran launched its first missile and drone attack on the United Arab Emirates since a ceasefire with the U”

CBS News

Fox News said senior officials told Jennifer Griffin that “it would be up to President Donald Trump and Tehran’s new leadership” to determine whether military operations would resume, while also stating “No orders to end the ceasefire have been given” and that the U.S. military “stands ready to respond.”

CBS News

The Guardian described the ceasefire as facing its “most perilous moment” after the U.S. began trying to open the strait of Hormuz to allow “hundreds of stranded commercial ships” to sail out, and it said the escalation came as the U.S. launched “Project Freedom.”

CNN reported that oil prices rose and stocks fell on concerns about the safety of transiting the critical waterway, and it included a warning that average U.S. gas prices could reach $5 a gallon if the strait remains closed.

NPR emphasized that shipping companies and insurers were unlikely to take the risk of crossing, given that Iran has fired on ships in the waterway and vowed to keep doing so, and it said Iran has said the new U.S. effort is a violation of the fragile ceasefire held for more than three weeks.

The Guardian also reported that the UAE said it had come under attack from Iran for the first time since Washington’s ceasefire with Tehran took effect about a month ago, and it quoted Saudi Arabia calling for de-escalation and urging Iran to “respect the principles of good neighborliness.”

In the background of the operational dispute, the U.S. and Iran also issued instructions about coordination and passage, with the Al Jazeera report saying Iran denies any change in the strait’s status and warns ships against violating the Revolutionary Guards’ instructions.

Across outlets, the stakes were repeatedly tied to whether the ceasefire holds and whether commercial traffic can move without triggering further escalation, with the U.S. insisting on a defensive layer and Iran warning against being “dragged back into quagmire.”