Trump: US-Iran ceasefire still in place after exchange of fire in Strait of Hormuz
In a further sign of the fragility of the ceasefire, early on Friday the United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Defence said its air defences were “actively engaging” with a missile and drone attack from Iran.
The ministry later said two ballistic missiles and three UAVs had been launched from Iran, resulting in three “moderate injuries”.
Iranian state media initially reported “explosions” in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, describing them as an “exchange of fire” with the “enemy”. Meanwhile, local media reported explosions were heard in Tehran.
Not long after, a statement from Iran’s top military command said US “aerial attacks” struck the coasts of Bandar Khamir, Sirik and Qeshm Island.
It said it responded immediately by attacking US military vessels, inflicting “significant damage”, and accused the US of a “violation of the ceasefire”.
US Central Command (Centcom) described the Iranian attacks as “unprovoked”, saying Iranian forces launched “multiple missiles, drones and small boats” as US Navy guided-missile destroyers transited through the strait.
Centcom said it had “eliminated inbound threats and targeted Iranian military facilities responsible for attacking US forces, including missile and drone launch sites; command and control locations; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance nodes.”
“Centcom does not seek escalation but remains positioned and ready to protect American forces,” the statement continued.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump said that the US had destroyed multiple small boats, missiles and drones, adding that “great damage” was “done to the Iranian attackers”.
The US president also reiterated a warning over the peace deal: “Just like we knocked them out again today, we’ll knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently, in the future, if they don’t get their Deal signed, FAST!”
In a statement on X, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said: “Every time a diplomatic solution is on the table, the US opts for a reckless military adventure.”
