politics
U.S. and Iran Exchange Fire in Strait of Hormuz
The U.S. military reported shooting down Iranian missiles and drones while escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz, sinking several small boats in the process. Iranian officials accused the U.S. of violating the ceasefire and warned of further responses. Defense officials stated the ceasefire remains in effect despite the clashes.
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U.S. forces exchanged fire with Iranian units on Monday while escorting commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz as part of the newly launched Project Freedom. The operation, announced by President Donald Trump on Sunday, aims to reopen the vital waterway closed since the war began on February 28.
Multiple sources confirmed that two American-flagged merchant ships successfully transited the strait that day, marking the first such passage under the initiative. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated at a Pentagon briefing on Tuesday that the ceasefire, announced on April 7, is still in effect.
He described the exchanges as expected initial resistance to the separate shipping effort, distinct from the broader conflict over Iran's nuclear program. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine noted that since the ceasefire began, Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times, seized two container ships, and attacked U.S. forces more than 10 times, but these incidents remain below the threshold for resuming major combat.
The U.S. military reported shooting down Iranian cruise missiles and drones, and sinking six small Iranian boats that targeted the escorted vessels. In contrast, Iranian state media claimed its navy fired only warning shots at American destroyers, and an Iranian military commander said two small civilian cargo boats were hit, killing five civilians.
These differing accounts highlight ongoing tensions, with ship tracking data showing a Panamanian-flagged crude oil tanker approaching the strait on Tuesday morning en route to Singapore. Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf accused the U.S. of undermining regional security and violating the ceasefire in a post on X.
He warned that a new equation is forming in the strait and signaled that Iran has not yet fully responded. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted that the U.S. and UAE should avoid being dragged back into conflict. The British military noted two cargo vessels ablaze off the UAE coast.
