DUBAI, JUN 28: The United States launched airstrikes on 10 Iranian military targets on Saturday after accusing Tehran of violating a fragile ceasefire by attacking a commercial oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes, ordered by President Donald Trump, targeted Iranian military surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defence sites, drone storage facilities and minelayer capabilities at multiple locations in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
The military action followed an alleged Iranian drone attack on the oil tanker Kiku, which was carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil through the strategically vital waterway.
In a post on Truth Social, President Trump said the U.S. had struck Iranian missile and drone storage sites and coastal radar installations for violating the ceasefire agreement “again.” He warned that Washington’s restraint had limits and threatened more severe military action if Iran continued its attacks.
The latest escalation comes only days after a similar exchange, in which the U.S. retaliated against Iran following another drone strike on a merchant vessel off the coast of Oman.
According to CENTCOM, Iran ignored an opportunity to uphold the ceasefire and instead targeted the Kiku, prompting the U.S. response.
The tanker had departed a Qatari oil field earlier this week and was en route to the United Arab Emirates via an alternative shipping corridor near Oman’s coast, avoiding the route through Iranian-controlled waters.
Following the incident, the Joint Maritime Information Center, overseen by the U.S. Navy, expanded the Omani shipping corridor to accommodate two-way traffic, a move that could further heighten tensions with Tehran.
Meanwhile, Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry said several Iranian drones targeted the Gulf nation on Saturday, describing the incident as a serious threat to regional security. No casualties or damage were immediately reported.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed responsibility for attacks on unspecified U.S. military positions in the region but did not identify the locations.
Bahrain hosts the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet and recently welcomed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whose meeting with Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers concluded with a call for an end to Iranian attacks and unrestricted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who is leading negotiations with Iran, urged Tehran to resolve disputes through dialogue, warning that any further violence would be met with a military response.
The United States and Iran are currently negotiating a broader agreement covering maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear programme and its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Under the interim agreement, both sides have 60 days to finalise a comprehensive deal.
The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) also confirmed a tanker attack in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, saying the crew was safe and no environmental damage had occurred.
As security concerns mount, the Joint Maritime Information Center warned that the threat to commercial shipping remains “substantial,” citing the presence of naval mines and ongoing clearance operations.
The International Maritime Organization has suspended further ship evacuation efforts until adequate security guarantees are in place, although around 115 vessels have successfully transited the Strait in recent days.
