By Elsie Kamsiyochi
Tensions in the Gulf surged once again on Friday as the United States said it was expecting a formal response from Iran to a new peace proposal aimed at ending weeks of conflict, even as fresh military confrontations erupted across the Strait of Hormuz and neighboring Gulf states came under attack.
The latest violence marks the most serious escalation since a ceasefire was announced in early April, raising fears that the fragile truce between Washington and Tehran could collapse despite ongoing diplomatic efforts. Fighting at sea, missile interceptions over the United Arab Emirates, and renewed accusations from both sides have deepened uncertainty over whether negotiations can still prevent a broader regional war.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington hoped Tehran would respond to the proposal later on Friday, adding that the administration believed progress toward negotiations was still possible.
“We should know something today,” Rubio told reporters during a visit to Rome. “We’re expecting a response from them. The hope is that it leads to a serious negotiation process.”
Iranian officials confirmed they were still reviewing the American proposal, which reportedly calls for a formal end to hostilities before moving on to more difficult issues, including Iran’s nuclear program and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes.
Despite those diplomatic signals, clashes intensified across the Gulf region. Iranian media reported sporadic exchanges between Iranian naval forces and U.S. vessels operating near the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. military later confirmed that it had intercepted and struck two vessels linked to Iran that were attempting to enter an Iranian port. According to American officials, fighter aircraft targeted the ships’ smokestacks, preventing them from docking.
President Donald Trump said three U.S. Navy destroyers had also come under attack while transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, though he insisted the ships were not damaged.
“Three world-class American destroyers successfully moved through the strait under fire,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “There was no damage to our vessels, but significant damage was done to the Iranian attackers.”
Speaking later in Washington, Trump attempted to downplay the seriousness of the confrontation while insisting the ceasefire technically remained in effect.
“They trifled with us today. We blew them away,” he said.
Iran, however, accused the United States of violating the ceasefire agreement and escalating tensions at a critical diplomatic moment. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi criticized Washington for what he described as repeated military provocations whenever negotiations appear close to progress.
“Every time a diplomatic solution is on the table, the U.S. chooses reckless military action,” Araqchi said Friday.
Iran’s joint military command claimed U.S. forces attacked an Iranian oil tanker and another commercial vessel while also conducting air strikes on civilian areas around Qeshm Island and coastal regions near the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran said it responded by targeting American naval assets east of the strait and near the port city of Chabahar.
Iranian military officials claimed the retaliatory strikes caused “significant damage,” though U.S. Central Command denied any American ships or assets had been hit.
Iranian media also reported casualties from the naval confrontation. According to Mehr News Agency, one crew member aboard an Iranian commercial vessel was killed, 10 others were wounded, and four people remained missing after an alleged U.S. naval strike near the Strait of Hormuz late Thursday night.
The conflict expanded beyond the waterway itself as the United Arab Emirates announced that its air defense systems intercepted two ballistic missiles and three drones launched from Iran. Emirati authorities said three people suffered moderate injuries during the attack.
The UAE has repeatedly been targeted during the conflict because of its close security ties with Washington and its hosting of American military installations. Officials in Abu Dhabi described the latest assault as a “major escalation,” especially after Trump recently announced — and then temporarily suspended — a naval escort mission known as “Project Freedom,” designed to secure commercial shipping through the strait.
Meanwhile, Iran also seized an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, accusing the Barbados-flagged vessel Ocean Koi of attempting to disrupt Iranian oil exports. Iranian state media claimed the tanker was transporting Iranian crude while allegedly operating under U.S. sanctions enforcement efforts.
The growing instability has continued to shake global energy markets. Brent crude prices hovered near $100 per barrel on Friday as traders weighed the risk of wider conflict against hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough. Analysts warn that any prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz could severely impact global oil supplies, since a large percentage of the world’s seaborne crude passes through the narrow waterway.
Since the conflict began, at least 20 oil refineries across the Middle East have either been struck or temporarily shut down due to drone and missile threats, removing more than 2.3 million barrels per day of refining capacity from the market by mid-April.
At the center of the negotiations remains Iran’s nuclear program. Trump said Tehran had effectively accepted Washington’s demand that Iran never develop nuclear weapons, though Iranian officials continue to insist their nuclear activities are entirely peaceful.
“There’s zero chance they get a nuclear weapon, and they know it,” Trump said. “Now we’ll see if they’re willing to sign.”
Still, uncertainty remains high. While both sides publicly claim they want diplomacy, the continuing military exchanges suggest that even a small miscalculation in the Gulf could derail negotiations and trigger a much wider regional conflict.
Asked whether a final agreement was close, Trump responded cautiously: “It might not happen, but it could happen any day.”
Source Reuters
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