Iran and the United States have blamed each other for attacks in the Persian Gulf, stoking concerns that their fragile ceasefire could collapse.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Saturday it struck US targets in the Gulf in retaliation for US attacks on Iranian missile, drone, and radar sites. Washington said those attacks were a response to an Iranian drone strike on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the latest US strikes targeted Iranian missile, drone, and coastal radar sites as retaliation for "unprovoked aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces," which it called a "clear violation of the ceasefire."
Iranian state television, citing a reporter in the southern port city of Sirik, reported an explosion late Friday at the Taheroui pier. A military source quoted said the blast was caused by artillery fire. Mehr news agency said after the explosion: "Sirik port is operating normally and there was no damage to port equipment or facilities."
CENTCOM described the operation as "a robust response to yesterday's attack on a commercial vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz."
President Donald Trump earlier condemned what he described as an Iranian drone attack on the ship, saying "clearly, this is an ignorant violation of our ceasefire." Vice President JD Vance issued a direct warning, posting on X that "violence will be met with violence" if Iran launches any further attacks.
Minutes later on Saturday morning Iran time, state television reported the IRGC said it struck US sites in the Gulf region in retaliation for US attacks. "(If) aggression repeats, our response will expand further," the IRGC said.
The exchange of fire has raised questions about whether the June 17 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the US and Iran will hold. Each side has accused the other of violating the agreement, which includes a ceasefire. The MoU is not a final accord but a precursor to further talks, including over transit through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global trade.
Iran has warned ships not to enter the Gulf through the strait without permission, but vessels continue to move, some using routes not authorized by Tehran. Despite tensions, oil prices fell sharply on hopes that traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will continue to recover.
Thursday's attack on the Singapore-flagged commercial vessel, Ever Lovely, reignited tensions between the US and Iran. Israel's bombardment of Lebanon—a violation of the MoU's terms—also endangered the deal. However, on Friday, after US-mediated talks, Israel and Lebanon signed a "framework agreement" that Washington says aims to end the "endless cycle of conflict."
The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog warned that any final deal between the US and Iran must include strong safeguards to ensure Tehran does not build nuclear weapons. "The Iranian government has stated quite clearly that this is not their intention," said International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi on nuclear weapons development. "But of course, intention is not enough. We must have a very robust verification system... as soon as possible." The interim deal says Iran's enriched uranium stockpile—estimated before the war at 440 kg (970 lb) enriched to 60%—should be "diluted" under IAEA supervision.
