From the evening of the 7th to the early morning of the 8th local time, the United States and Iran suddenly attacked each other in the area around the Strait of Hormuz, causing concern among the international community that had hoped for an agreement between the two sides.
A spokesman for the Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters of the Iranian Armed Forces said on the 8th that because the United States violated the ceasefire agreement and attacked Iranian oil tankers and another vessel entering the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian armed forces struck US warships. Subsequently, the US Central Command confirmed that US warships were attacked and responded. According to US media reports, the US military launched airstrikes on Iran’s Bandar-e Genaveh and Bandar Abbas ports and other locations on the same day. US President Donald Trump posted on social media, stating that if Iran “does not sign an agreement soon,” the US would strike it with “more severe and more violent” means. However, he also said that the US-Iran ceasefire agreement “remains in effect.” Regarding the renewed exchange of fire between the two sides, some international analysts believe this is a mutual pressure and probe before negotiations, but it could easily increase the risk of miscalculation. On the 8th, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on social media, saying, “Whenever diplomatic solutions are on the table, the US always chooses reckless military adventures.”
US side: “Does not mean the resumption of war”
“Just as Iran indicated it was considering the US proposal to end the war, the US and Iran suddenly exchanged fire again.” The New York Times reported on the 8th that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz had suddenly become tense again. The two sides have conflicting accounts of the cause of the attack and accuse each other of violating the ceasefire agreement. It is currently unclear which side initiated the attack.
According to a report by Iran’s Tasnim News Agency on the 8th, a spokesman for the Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters of the Iranian Armed Forces issued a statement that day, saying the United States violated the ceasefire agreement, attacked two Iranian oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz the previous night, and also “cooperated with some countries” to launch airstrikes on civilian areas along the coasts of Hamir, Sirik, and Qeshm Island. In response, the Iranian armed forces immediately retaliated, attacking several US warships and “inflicting heavy losses on them.”
According to Iran’s Mehr News Agency, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy confirmed on the 8th that three US destroyers were struck by Iranian missiles and drones, “and after suffering losses, were forced to quickly withdraw from the waters near the Strait of Hormuz.”
In response, the US Central Command stated in a statement that day that while three US Navy destroyers were transiting the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian forces attacked them using missiles, drones, and small boats. The US “intercepted Iran’s unprovoked attacks and retaliated against the military facilities that launched the attacks, including missile and drone launch sites and command and control centers.” The statement also said that the US (retaliation) “does not seek escalation.”
According to Fox News Channel, the US military also launched airstrikes on Iran’s Bandar-e Genaveh and Bandar Abbas ports and struck a naval checkpoint in Minab city, Hormozgan Province, southern Iran. However, a US official stated that this move “neither means the resumption of war nor represents the end of the ceasefire agreement.”
Regarding the renewed US-Iran exchange of fire, Trump posted on social media, saying that the three US warships were not damaged, but the Iranian side “suffered heavy losses.” He stated that if Iran “does not sign an agreement soon,” the US would strike it with “more severe and more violent” means.
However, at a White House press conference, Trump attempted to downplay the tensions. He said, “The ceasefire continues, it remains in effect,” and that the US strike on Iranian facilities was “just a small warning.” When asked whether negotiations would continue after the US-Iran exchange of fire, Trump said that the US and Iran “are having good talks,” and the chances of signing an agreement are “very high,” adding, “They want to sign it more than I do.” But he also said that reaching an agreement “might be a big assumption,” and the two sides “could reach an agreement any day, but they might not” …
