Trump accuses Iran of ceasefire breach after Strait of Hormuz attack

Trump accused Iran on Friday of breaking a fragile ceasefire after drones struck commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that carries huge volumes of global energy traffic and sits at the center of mounting fears over regional escalation. He said Iran launched at least four attack drones at vessels crossing the strait, and one of them damaged a cargo ship without causing injuries.

The attack took place Thursday off Oman, according to the British military’s UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre, which said the vessel was hit by a projectile and suffered damage to its bridge. Trump called the incident a “foolish violation” of the ceasefire, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected any Iranian claim to charge vessels for passage through the waterway. The U.S. official account and maritime monitors pointed to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in connection with the strike.

The strike landed only days after a preliminary U.S.-Iran ceasefire deal that was meant to keep shipping safe while opening negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program. Reuters reported that Tehran had insisted it would control the Strait of Hormuz and warned Gulf states not to side with Washington, underscoring how quickly a limited attack can test the deal’s credibility. The attack also forced the U.N.-backed maritime route through the strait to pause evacuations after several tankers had begun using the new lane.

That pause showed how even a single strike in the Strait of Hormuz can ripple far beyond the damaged vessel. The waterway is one of the world’s most important shipping chokepoints, and any threat there immediately raises concerns about oil flows, insurance costs and the risk of broader military involvement. The episode did not produce casualties, but it did highlight how little margin there is for error when a ceasefire, a strategic sea lane and U.S.-Iran tensions collide in the same narrow stretch of water.