Topline
The U.S. carried out airstrikes against Iran’s drone supply Friday, according to U.S. Central Command, launching them after Iran struck a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz with drones Thursday in an attack President Donald Trump called a “foolish violation” of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement.
Key Facts
U.S. aircraft bombed Iranian missile and drone storage facilities and coastal radar sites, Central Command said in a statement, calling Iran’s strike against a Singapore-flagged cargo ship “unwarranted aggression.”
Nobody aboard the cargo ship was killed or injured in the drone strike.
Trump said in a Truth Social post at least four drones were launched by Iran and “hit the upper deck of a large and very expensive Cargo Carrying Ship” that was able to continue its voyage.
The president said the U.S. “knocked down” three drones in what was “obviously” a “foolish violation of our Ceasefire Agreement.”
Trump’s comments come after multiple outlets reported on the cargo ship strike, which halted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial oil shipping route that was supposedly reopened under a “memorandum of understanding” signed by the U.S. and Iran on June 17.
Iran has warned ships that the only route through the strait was through its waters, The New York Times reported, noting ships have been using a route that hugs the Omani coast on the southern side of the strait.
The U.S. and Iran have accused each other of multiple ceasefire violations since the memorandum was signed earlier in the month, though negotiations between the countries’ diplomats have continued in Switzerland despite the tension.
Tangent
U.S. crude oil dropped below $70 following the attack on the cargo ship, as more tankers reportedly navigated through the strait successfully. U.S. crude oil prices are now down over 26% in the last month, continuing to fall after the start of the U.S.-Iran war in February spiked costs.
Key Background
The reopening of the strait has been a major point of contention amid peace efforts. Not long after the memorandum was signed, Iran closed the shipping route in response to Israeli strikes against Lebanon, where Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah operates out of. Vice President JD Vance denied the strait was closed and said the Trump administration saw no evidence of a shutdown. Traffic through the strait appears to have continued following the closure, though Iran has shown interest in establishing fees for ships moving through the route even as Trump has claimed he has received assurances from Iran that it will not impose tolls. Negotiations in Switzerland are likely addressing the Strait of Hormuz in addition to Iran’s nuclear program and the lifting of sanctions against the country. Though a finalized nuclear framework will take time to reach, Vance said this week Iran agreed to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to resume its nuclear inspections.
Further Reading
Trump Blasts NYT As ‘Treasonous’—For Iran War Criticism Shared By Many (Forbes)
White House Seeks $88 Billion In Additional Funding, Mostly For Iran War (Forbes)