According to Axios, the US military carried out strikes in the area of the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, marking the first such operation since Washington and Tehran signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The MoU established a temporary ceasefire framework under which Iran agreed to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to commercial shipping without transit charges for 60 days, while the US agreed to lift its naval blockade and begin a 60-day period of nuclear talks.
Meanwhile, Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB reported that more than three consecutive explosions were heard near Sirik in southern Iran, in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz.
Reacting to the US strikes, Iranian MP Ebrahim Azizi wrote on X, “The US attacked Iran in the middle of negotiations once again. This reckless violation of the ceasefire will, as always, lead to retreat and regret on their part.”
‘Act Of folly Will Be Met With Harsh Response’: Iran Warns US
Official military Spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Ibrahim al-Fiqar, said that Iran’s response to the US strikes will be unprecedented.
Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters is the operational command centre that coordinates the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian army.
In a series of posts on X, Al Fiqar said that Iran will choose the appropriate time and place to reply to the strikes.
“We affirm that this aggression will not go unanswered, and we will choose the appropriate time and place. We warn that any further act of folly will be met with a harsh response that will shatter the illusions of the aggressors in the region. No retreat… Our response will shake the earth to its core, and will erase your military presence as if it never existed,” Al Fiqar said.
“When the three numbers match tonight, the flow will cease and the silence will become a storm. There will be nothing to say, only what will be seen. No summons and no options.. This is an unprecedented night, in which gunpowder will write the final line in your illusions. The response to the US attack will be swift and decisive,” he added.
Iran Attacks US
Soon after the warning, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it had targeted United States military positions in the region, in retaliation for the fresh American strike over its missile and drone storage facilities as well as coastal radar sites.
In a statement carried by Iranian state media, the IRGC said the operation was a response to the latest US attack but did not specify which American military sites had been targeted or provide further operational details.
‘You’ll Find Out’: Trump Hints At US Response
Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump signalled that Washington could respond after an alleged Iranian attack on a cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz, saying, “you’ll find out” when asked whether Tehran would face consequences.
“You will find out. I don’t like the fact that they took a shot yesterday, actually, four. We knocked down three… A very expensive ship took a little beating. They shouldn’t be doing that,” Trump said.
After the retaliatory attack, US Vice-President JD Vance said, “Iran signed a ceasefire agreement. We have honored it. If they have disagreements about how the MOU is being applied, they can pick up the phone. But violence will be met with violence.”
‘Foolish Violation’
Trump alleged that Iran had breached the preliminary ceasefire understanding between Washington and Tehran, describing the reported attack as a “foolish violation” of the agreement.
Also Read: ‘Foolish Violation’: Trump Says US Shot Down 3 Iranian Drones Near Hormuz After Ship Attack
According to Trump, Iran launched multiple one-way attack drones at commercial vessels transiting the strategic waterway, with one of the drones hitting the upper deck of a cargo ship. He said the vessel was damaged but was able to continue its voyage.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran shot at least four One Way Attack Drones at Ships transversing the Strait of Hormuz. One of the Drones solidly hit the upper deck of a large and very expensive Cargo Carrying Ship. Damage was done, but the Ship was able to proceed on its way. We knocked down three other Drones. Obviously, this is a foolish violation of our Ceasefire Agreement,” Trump wrote.
Iran Fires Projectile At Cargo Ship
Trump’s comments came a day after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) allegedly fired at a Singapore-flagged cargo ship, Ever Lovely, while it was transiting in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, heightening concerns over security in one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes.
Also Read: Iran Fired Projectile At Cargo Ship Passing Through Strait Of Hormuz: US Officials
The British maritime security agency UKMTO said the vessel reported being hit on its starboard side by a projectile while sailing about 7.5 nautical miles southeast of Oman’s port of Dahit. The UKMTO said the projectile struck the vessel’s bridge, causing damage but no injuries among the crew.
The incident came hours after Iran’s paramilitary navy cautioned ships against using transit routes through the strait without Tehran’s authorisation.
Meanwhile, the United Nations’ shipping agency has temporarily suspended an evacuation operation aimed at helping hundreds of stranded vessels and thousands of seafarers safely transit through the Strait of Hormuz after the ship came under attack in the Gulf of Oman.
Source link
