The ceasefire between Iran and the United States came under renewed strain on Saturday after both countries exchanged fresh attacks, with Tehran accusing Washington of violating the peace agreement reached to end the Middle East conflict….
The ceasefire between Iran and the United States came under renewed strain on Saturday after both countries exchanged fresh attacks, with Tehran accusing Washington of violating the peace agreement reached to end the Middle East conflict.
Iran insisted it had complied with the ceasefire terms, declaring: “Iran signed a ceasefire agreement. We have honored it. If they have disagreements about how the MOU is being applied, they can pick up the phone. But violence will be met with violence.”
The latest escalation followed US military strikes on Iranian territory, which Washington said were carried out in response to Tehran’s alleged attack on a commercial cargo vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz earlier in the week.
According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), American forces targeted Iranian missile and drone storage facilities as well as coastal radar installations, describing the operation as “a powerful response to yesterday’s attack on a commercial ship that was transiting the Strait of Hormuz.” The command maintained that Iran’s actions amounted to “unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces” that “clearly violated the ceasefire.”
Tehran, however, rejected the US justification and condemned the strikes as a breach of the memorandum of understanding that ended the war.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry said: “These brutal attacks, which targeted Iranian coastal surveillance facilities, are a blatant violation” of the ceasefire agreement.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards subsequently announced retaliatory strikes against US military positions in the Gulf, warning that “if the aggression is repeated, our response will be broader than this,” according to a statement published on state television’s Telegram channel.
The renewed hostilities have heightened concerns over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic shipping route through which roughly one-fifth of global oil and gas exports pass.
Bahrain also accused Iran of escalating tensions after reporting that several Iranian drones targeted the country early Saturday. Its foreign ministry condemned the attacks, accusing Tehran of “sabotaging peace efforts.”
Meanwhile, Iranian state television reported an explosion near a pier in the southern port city of Sirik late Friday, citing a local reporter. A military source attributed the incident to a “projectile impact.” However, the Mehr News Agency later quoted officials as saying: “Sirik Port is operating normally, and no damage has been reported to its equipment or facilities.”
Before the latest exchange, US President Donald Trump had condemned what he described as an Iranian drone strike on a commercial vessel, saying “this is a foolish violation of our ceasefire agreement.”
Vice President JD Vance also warned Tehran against further military action, posting on X that “violence will be met with violence” if additional attacks are carried out.
Although Iran has warned ships against entering or leaving the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz without its approval, commercial traffic has continued, with some vessels reportedly using alternative routes not authorised by Tehran.
Despite the renewed military confrontation, global oil prices declined on expectations that maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz would continue to recover as both sides pursue negotiations toward a broader and more permanent agreement.
