In brief
- The United States and Iran have exchanged fire in the Strait of Hormuz.
- The violence has placed renewed strain on an already delicate ceasefire.
The United States military announced on Friday that it had conducted strikes on Iranian military sites following an attack on three American destroyers in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. In response, Iran accused the U.S. of initiating hostilities.
This escalation threatens to disrupt a delicate ceasefire that has been in place since April 8, which ended a period of US-Israeli assaults on Iran. Iran had retaliated during that time with strikes across the region and by obstructing the strait, a crucial passageway for oil and gas exports.
According to a statement from the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) shared on X, Iranian forces launched several missiles, drones, and small boats at the American warships, though none were hit. CENTCOM stated that they “eliminated inbound threats and targeted Iranian military facilities responsible.”
CENTCOM emphasized that it does not aim to escalate tensions but is prepared to defend American personnel if necessary.
Conversely, Iran’s central military command accused the United States of breaching the truce by allegedly attacking an oil tanker and another vessel on Friday. They claimed Iranian forces “immediately and in retaliation attacked American military vessels” in response.
Just a day earlier, President Donald Trump had expressed optimism about reaching an agreement, despite his continued warnings of potential military action if Iran failed to concede.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Iran would communicate its position to mediator Pakistan “after finalising its views”.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had struck an optimistic tone before the exchanges of fire on Thursday, saying in televised remarks: “I firmly believe that this ceasefire will turn into a long-term ceasefire.”
Lebanon talks
But, inside Iran, civilians were cynical.
“Neither side in these negotiations is really capable of reaching an agreement,” 42-year-old photographer Shervin told Agence France-Presse (AFP) reporters in Paris, messaging from Iran.
“This is another one of Trump’s games; otherwise, why are so many warships and military forces being sent toward Iran?”
Any agreement between the United States and Iran could also help lower tensions in Lebanon, where a separate truce was under renewed strain after an Israeli strike on southern Beirut killed a commander from militant group Hezbollah on Thursday.
A US State Department official confirmed on Thursday that the new Israel-Lebanon talks would take place between 14 and 15 May.
It will be the third meeting in recent months between the two countries, which have technically been at war for decades and have no diplomatic relations.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that a peace deal between the two sides was “eminently achievable,” insisting Hezbollah was the sticking point, rather than any issue between the two governments.
Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Ships, crew stranded
A ceasefire between the two countries and including Hezbollah was extended after the last round of talks in Washington DC, but Israel has kept up its strikes on the group, which has claimed attacks of its own on Israeli forces occupying parts of Lebanon’s south.
Lebanon’s health ministry reported at least 12 people killed in a series of Israeli airstrikes on Friday.
Following the start of the war with US-Israeli attacks on 28 February, Iran largely shuttered the Strait of Hormuz.
Around 1,500 ships and 20,000 international crew are now trapped in the Gulf region because of the conflict, the secretary-general of the UN’s International Maritime Organization, Arsenio Dominguez, told a Maritime Convention of the Americas meeting in Panama.
Trump had this week briefly launched a naval operation to force open the strait to commercial vessels, only to stand it down within hours, citing progress on negotiations with Iran.
The US president — who has lambasted Europe for not backing his war against Iran — said on Thursday he had a “great call” with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, saying they were “completely united that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon”.
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