U.S. and Iranian forces exchanged fire Thursday in the Strait of Hormuz in the most serious breach yet of a month-old ceasefire between the two countries. U.S. Central Command said Iranian forces launched missiles, drones and small boats against three Navy guided-missile destroyers — the USS Truxtun, USS Rafael Peralta and USS Mason — transiting the strait, and that American forces responded by striking Iranian military facilities including missile and drone launch sites, command and control locations, and intelligence and surveillance nodes. The U.S. military said none of the three ships were hit.

President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters during an evening visit to the Reflecting Pool in Washington, said the ceasefire was still holding despite the violence. "They trifled with us today. We blew them away," Trump said, describing the exchange in a separate ABC News interview as a "love tap." Trump also issued a warning on Truth Social, saying the U.S. would respond "a lot harder, and a lot more violently" if Iran did not sign a deal quickly.

Iran offered a sharply different account of events. Iran's top military command alleged the U.S. had first targeted an Iranian oil tanker and another vessel near the strait and conducted aerial strikes on coastal areas including Bandar Khamir, Sirik and Qeshm Island, calling the American actions a ceasefire violation. Iranian state media reported explosions in the strait and described the episode as an "exchange of fire" with the enemy, while also reporting loud noises and defensive fire in western Tehran. Iran's Press TV later reported that the situation near the strait had returned to normal.

The United Arab Emirates added another dimension to the crisis, with its Ministry of Defence announcing Friday that its air defenses were actively engaging with an Iranian missile and drone attack, hours after the U.S. reported thwarting the strikes on its destroyers. Brent crude oil rose to trade around $101 a barrel on news of the attacks, underscoring the economic stakes in a waterway through which hundreds of ships and thousands of mariners remain stranded as Iran maintains control of the route.

The clashes came as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict appeared to be gaining ground. The White House had been reported to be closing in on a 14-point memorandum of understanding with Tehran, circulated through Pakistani mediators, and Iran's foreign ministry had said as recently as Wednesday it was reviewing the latest U.S. proposal. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Thursday in a fence-mending visit amid tensions over the war. Regional diplomats warned that Iran risks overplaying its hand, noting that a failure to reach agreement could leave the country under prolonged economic sanctions with no clear path to ending the conflict.