US Launches Airstrikes on Iran After Strait of Hormuz Drone Attack, Raising Fears Over Fragile Ceasefire

Washington, June 2026: The United States launched a series of airstrikes against Iranian military targets after Tehran allegedly attacked a Singapore-flagged commercial cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, marking Washington’s first direct military action since the two countries agreed to a ceasefire earlier this week.

The retaliatory operation, carried out by the US Central Command (CENTCOM), targeted Iranian missile and drone storage facilities as well as coastal radar installations. According to the US military, the strikes were in response to a June 25 drone attack on the M/V Ever Lovely, a commercial cargo ship that was sailing along the Omani coast while exiting the Strait of Hormuz.

In an official statement, CENTCOM described the operation as a “powerful response” to what it called an unprovoked attack on international commercial shipping.

“CENTCOM forces conducted strikes against Iran on June 26 after Iranian forces hit the M/V Ever Lovely with a one-way attack drone,” the command stated. It added that the attack represented a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement reached between Washington and Tehran only days earlier.

The US military accused Iran of undermining freedom of navigation through one of the world’s most strategically important maritime corridors.

“The unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces clearly violated the ceasefire. Iran’s dangerous behaviour threatens freedom of navigation as global commerce increasingly relies on the vital international trade route through the Strait of Hormuz,” the statement said.

CENTCOM also reaffirmed that US naval and air forces would continue providing security support for merchant vessels transiting the waterway.

“The US military remains present and vigilant to ensure commercial shipping can transit safely and that all provisions of the agreement with Iran remain in force,” it added.

Hours before the strikes, President Donald Trump had strongly criticised Iran over the reported attack.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump warned Tehran that its actions would have consequences.

“I don’t like the fact that they took a shot yesterday. They shouldn’t be doing that. You’ll find out,” the President said.

Earlier, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that Iran had launched four one-way attack drones targeting commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. According to him, US forces intercepted three of the drones, while the fourth successfully struck the M/V Ever Lovely, causing damage but allowing the vessel to continue its voyage.

“Obviously, this is a foolish violation of our Ceasefire Agreement,” Trump wrote.

Iran has not officially acknowledged responsibility for the drone strike. However, reports from Iranian state media, cited by The Wall Street Journal, indicated that projectiles hit a telecommunications tower in the southern port city of Sirik following the US retaliation. The port overlooks the Strait of Hormuz and is considered strategically important.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also issued a warning, saying that “any new folly will be met with a strong response that will shatter the illusions of the aggressors in the region.”

Meanwhile, The Washington Post reported that the Revolutionary Guard claimed it had disrupted part of the US military operation and forced American forces to retreat. However, there has been no confirmation of that claim from US officials.

According to The New York Times, citing American officials familiar with the operation, the US airstrikes lasted approximately 90 minutes and were intended as a limited retaliatory action rather than the beginning of a broader military campaign.

The latest exchange has cast fresh uncertainty over the ceasefire framework agreed upon earlier this week. The agreement had been designed to halt military hostilities, reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, and pave the way for negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme and other outstanding issues.

Friday’s reported drone strike on a commercial vessel, followed by the US military response, has raised concerns that the fragile truce could unravel before meaningful diplomatic talks begin, threatening stability in one of the world’s most critical energy and shipping corridors.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)