The United States military conducted strikes against Iranian missile and drone storage facilities and coastal radar positions on Friday after a drone struck the Singapore-flagged cargo vessel M/V Ever Lovely in the Strait of Hormuz the previous day. U.S. Central Command described the action as a "powerful response" to what it called "unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping" that "clearly violated the ceasefire" between the two countries. Three additional drones launched in the same coordinated attack were intercepted by U.S. forces before reaching the ship.

President Donald Trump publicly condemned the drone strike as a "foolish violation" of the existing ceasefire agreement, saying Iran had taken four shots at the vessel and that one had struck the upper deck. Vice President JD Vance warned that "violence will be met with violence," adding that Iran could resolve disputes over the ceasefire's terms through diplomatic channels rather than military action. Iran has not formally claimed responsibility for the attack on the Ever Lovely, though two anonymous U.S. officials told Reuters that Iranian forces fired on the ship.

Following the U.S. strikes, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said its navy struck locations linked to U.S. military forces in the region and warned that any further American attacks would be met with a broader response. Iran's foreign ministry blamed the "treaty-breaking U.S. regime" for the escalation, while a senior Iranian security official characterized Tehran's actions as "ceasefire management" rather than a violation. Bahrain's foreign ministry separately reported that its territory had come under attack from Iranian drones early Saturday, calling the incident a "flagrant violation" of its sovereignty.

The exchange of strikes comes at a critical juncture in U.S.-Iran relations. The two countries signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding on June 17 that called for an end to hostilities and committed Iran to use its "best efforts" to allow safe passage of commercial vessels through the strait for 60 days while negotiations over Iran's nuclear program and sanctions relief continued. Iranian officials had issued a directive before the attack requiring all commercial vessels to coordinate directly with the Iranian navy, and the Ever Lovely had been traveling along a southern route along the Omani coast rather than corridors designated by the IRGC.

The incident has significant implications for global trade and ongoing diplomatic efforts. The strait was effectively closed following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran beginning in late February, causing a sharp spike in global oil prices and disrupting shipments of oil, gas, fertilizer, and other commodities. The attack on the Ever Lovely immediately halted International Maritime Organization efforts to escort more than 11,000 stranded seafarers out of the Gulf aboard hundreds of vessels. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations also reported Saturday that a tanker sustained damage to its bridge after being struck by an unidentified projectile in the strait, further underscoring the fragility of the current ceasefire.