US Strikes Iran After Drone Attack on Cargo Ship in Hormuz
The United States military launched airstrikes against Iranian military targets on June 26, retaliating for an Iranian drone attack on a commercial cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz the previous day. The exchange of fire threatens to unravel the fragile ceasefire established under the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed earlier this month.
The Strikes
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that six U.S. Air Force F-35 and F-16 fighter jets struck four Iranian sites over approximately 90 minutes, targeting missile and drone storage facilities and coastal radar positions near Sirik in Hormozgan province and on Qeshm Island. According to Xinhua News, the strikes were described as “a powerful response” to Iran’s attack on commercial shipping.
CENTCOM stated that the strikes were necessary because “the unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces clearly violated the ceasefire,” adding that Iran’s actions “undermined freedom of navigation as commerce increasingly flows through the vital international trade corridor.”
The Precipitating Event
The escalation began on June 25 when an Iranian one-way attack drone struck the M/V Ever Lovely, a Singapore-flagged cargo ship operated by Taiwanese shipping company Evergreen Marine. The drone hit the starboard side of the ship’s bridge approximately 3.6 nautical miles off Oman’s Khawr Naiwah as the vessel was exiting the Strait of Hormuz. No casualties were reported among the crew, and the vessel continued its voyage.
President Donald Trump accused Iran of violating the ceasefire, posting on Truth Social that “one of the Drones solidly hit the upper deck of a large and very expensive Cargo Carrying ship,” calling it a “foolish violation of our Ceasefire Agreement.”
Iranian Response
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) responded by announcing it had targeted locations where U.S. forces are deployed in the region. According to Deutsche Welle, explosions were reported in the Sirik area of Hormozgan province at approximately 23:30 local time on June 26. The IRGC condemned the U.S. strikes, stating that the U.S. “as always, violated its commitments” and warning that “if the aggression is repeated, our response will be more extensive.”
Vice President JD Vance defended the U.S. action, writing on X: “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.”
Ceasefire at Risk
The central dispute revolves around which party violated the ceasefire first. The U.S. argues that Iran’s drone attack on the M/V Ever Lovely constituted a violation justifying retaliation, while Iran counters that the U.S. strikes were the violation. The MoU, a 14-point agreement signed in early June, declares “the immediate and permanent termination of military operations” and established an executive mechanism to handle disputes.
The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) urged restraint, stating: “The US and Iran have started a diplomatic process and should use diplomatic channels to raise disputes, not bombs. We urge all parties to utilize the executive mechanism envisioned in the memorandum.”
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
The renewed hostilities have direct humanitarian consequences for an estimated 11,000 seafarers stranded on some 600 vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) had been coordinating a complex evacuation operation, but paused the plan after the June 25 attack. According to Al Jazeera, about 115 vessels with 2,500 sailors had been evacuated before the pause. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez noted that “seafarers feel forgotten, particularly for the global media and from everyone around the world.”
Broader Regional Context
The US-Iran escalation unfolded alongside other significant developments in the Middle East. The U.S., Israel, and Lebanon signed a trilateral framework agreement on June 26 aimed at ending the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, though Hezbollah has rejected the framework. Meanwhile, The Guardian reported that Israel continued military operations in Gaza despite a nominal ceasefire.
What to Watch
The coming days will be critical in determining whether the ceasefire can be salvaged. Key questions include whether both sides will utilize the MoU’s dispute resolution mechanism, how regional actors such as Gulf states and Oman will respond, and what impact the escalation will have on global oil markets given that approximately 20-30% of the world’s oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
As Time Magazine noted, it remains unclear how the strikes will impact ongoing peace negotiations between Iran and the U.S., which had shown signs of progress in recent weeks.