US President Donald Trump says a ceasefire between the United States and Iran remains in place despite a fresh exchange of fire involving US naval destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz.
The US accused Iran of launching missiles, drones and small boats at three American warships in what it described as an “unprovoked attack,” while Iran alleged the US targeted an Iranian oil tanker and another vessel approaching the strategic waterway.
Trump, reacting on Truth Social, said Iran “trifled with us today.”
Iran’s top military command claimed US “aerial attacks” struck coastal areas including Bandar Khamir, Sirik and Qeshm Island. It said Iranian forces responded by attacking US military vessels and inflicting “significant damage,” accusing Washington of a “violation of the ceasefire.”
US Central Command said Iranian forces launched “multiple missiles, drones and small boats” at US Navy guided-missile destroyers transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Centcom said it had “eliminated inbound threats and targeted Iranian military facilities responsible for attacking US forces, including missile and drone launch sites; command and control locations; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance nodes.”
“Centcom does not seek escalation but remains positioned and ready to protect American forces,” the statement said.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump said the US had destroyed multiple small boats that “dropped ever so beautifully down to the Ocean, very much like a butterfly dropping to its grave!”
“Great damage” was “done to the Iranian attackers”, he added.
The US president also warned Iran over ongoing peace negotiations.
“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!” Trump wrote.
An Israeli source told the BBC there was “no Israeli involvement” in the latest attacks.
The latest tensions come a day after Iran’s foreign ministry said it was considering a US proposal aimed at ending the war.
US news outlet Axios reported that the White House believed it was close to securing a 14-point memorandum of understanding with Iran that could create a framework for detailed nuclear negotiations.
An Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said Tehran was reviewing the proposal and would communicate its response through Pakistani mediators.
Pakistan’s foreign minister said his country was “endeavouring to convert this ceasefire into a permanent end to this war”.
However, Iranian parliament member Ebrahim Rezaei dismissed the proposed agreement as a “wish list”.
Writing on X, Rezaei said Iran “has its finger on the trigger”, warning the country would “deliver a harsh and regret-inducing response” if the US did not “surrender and grant necessary conditions”.
Both Washington and Tehran have threatened further military action if negotiations fail.
In a Truth Social post, 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”.
Trump has repeatedly stated that Iran had agreed never to pursue a nuclear weapon, although Tehran has not confirmed the claim.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
