The United States and Iran have exchanged military strikes, jeopardizing a fragile ceasefire as diplomats struggle to contain the ongoing Middle East war. The US Central Command stated that American strikes against Iranian missile and drone storage sites and coastal radar positions were in response to what it described as 'unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces' that 'clearly violated the ceasefire.'
US President Donald Trump denounced the attack, calling it a 'foolish violation of our ceasefire agreement.' Vice President JD Vance issued a direct warning, stating on X that 'violence will be met with violence' if Iran carries out any further attacks. In retaliation, Iran's Revolutionary Guards targeted US sites in the Gulf region, with a warning that a repeated aggression would elicit a broader response.
Strait of Hormuz Tensions
The exchanges have raised fresh questions about efforts to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. Despite Iran's warnings for vessels not to enter or leave the Gulf through the strait without permission, ships have continued to move, some using a route not authorized by Tehran. Around half of the 42 vessels that made the passage on Thursday used a non-approved southern route along Oman's coast, according to tracking platform Kpler.
UN and Regional Developments
The UN maritime agency had previously freed 115 vessels and 2,500 seafarers trapped by the dispute before the attack forced its suspension. Oil prices fell sharply, reflecting hopes that traffic through Hormuz—a strategic waterway which normally sees around a fifth of the world's oil and gas exports—would keep recovering despite the latest flare-up.
Israel and Lebanon hailed an agreement signed with the US to pave a way towards peace on their front in the war, although Iran-backed Hezbollah warned the deal would thwart plans to resolve the broader conflict. At a Washington signing ceremony, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the trilateral accord 'begins to put in place a framework for lasting peace and security.'
Nuclear Concerns
Meanwhile, the UN nuclear watchdog's chief warned that any final US-Iran settlement would need strong safeguards to ensure Tehran does not build a nuclear weapon. Iran's nuclear program remains a central sticking point, with Tehran and Washington giving conflicting accounts of whether inspectors will regain access to the Islamic republic's facilities.
