President Donald Trump stated on Friday that a ceasefire between the United States and Iran remains in effect, despite an exchange of fire in the Strait of Hormuz late Thursday night. The exact sequence of events and who initiated the hostilities remain unclear. Iran’s top military command accused the U.S. of targeting an Iranian oil tanker and other vessels near the strait, as well as conducting “aerial attacks” on coastal areas. Conversely, the U.S. reported responding to Iranian assaults on U.S. Navy destroyers with “self-defence strikes.” Trump characterized Iran’s actions as having “trifled with us today.”
This flare-up occurred just one day after Iran’s foreign ministry indicated it was reviewing a U.S. proposal aimed at ending the conflict. Initial reports from Iranian state media described “explosions” in the Strait of Hormuz, labeling them an “exchange of fire” with an “enemy.” Concurrently, local media reported hearing explosions in Tehran.
Shortly thereafter, a statement from Iran’s highest military echelons alleged that U.S. “aerial attacks” had impacted the coasts of Bandar Khamir, Sirik, and Qeshm Island. The statement further claimed Iran responded immediately by striking U.S. military vessels, causing “significant damage,” and accused the U.S. of violating the existing ceasefire.
The U.S. Central Command (Centcom) characterized the Iranian actions as “unprovoked.” Centcom stated that Iranian forces deployed “multiple missiles, drones and small boats” as U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers navigated the strait. In response, Centcom reported “eliminating inbound threats and targeting Iranian military facilities responsible for attacking U.S. forces, including missile and drone launch sites; command and control locations; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance nodes.” A Centcom statement emphasized, “Centcom does not seek escalation but remains positioned and ready to protect American forces.”
President Trump shared his account on Truth Social, reporting that the U.S. had destroyed multiple small boats, which he described metaphorically as “dropped ever so beautifully down to the Ocean, very much like a butterfly dropping to its grave!” He added that “Great damage” was “done to the Iranian attackers.” Trump reiterated a warning regarding the peace deal, stating, “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!”
An Israeli source, speaking to the BBC, confirmed “no Israeli involvement” in the recent hostilities. The heightened tensions contrast with recent statements from President Trump suggesting the conflict in Iran would conclude “quickly.” Reports from the U.S. news outlet Axios indicated that the White House believed it was nearing a 14-point memorandum of understanding with Iran, potentially paving the way for more detailed nuclear negotiations.
On Wednesday, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson confirmed that the latest U.S. proposal was under consideration and that Tehran would communicate its views via Pakistani mediators. Pakistan’s foreign minister had previously stated his country was “endeavouring to convert this ceasefire into a permanent end to this war.” However, a senior Iranian parliament member dismissed the 14-point memorandum of understanding as merely a “wish list.”
Both the U.S. and Iran have issued threats of escalating violence should their respective conditions for a peace agreement not be met. In a Truth Social post on May 6th, Trump warned that if Iran did not agree to a deal, “the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.” Shortly after, Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for the Iranian parliament’s national security and foreign policy commission, posted on X that Iran “has its finger on the trigger,” warning of a “harsh and regret-inducing response” if the U.S. did not “surrender and grant necessary conditions.”
Previously, Trump had indicated that Operation Epic Fury, the initial U.S.-Israeli offensive, would cease “assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to.” This followed a statement from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio asserting the operation had concluded and achieved its objectives. Trump also reiterated his claim that Iran had agreed to forgo nuclear weapons development, “among other things” – a assertion not confirmed by Tehran and a central point of contention in the ongoing nuclear program dispute.
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