CENTCOM Posts F-16 Patrol Photos After Cargo Ship Hit Near Strait of Hormuz

U.S. Central Command said American forces remain “present and vigilant” in the Middle East as officials confirmed an IRGC drone struck a Singapore-flagged cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

U.S. Central Command released new images Thursday of American F-16 fighter jets conducting patrols over the Middle East, shortly after U.S. officials said Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps struck a cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz.

CENTCOM shared the photos in an X post, showing U.S. fighter aircraft operating in the region amid heightened concern over maritime security and ongoing negotiations involving Iran.

“U.S. forces remain present and vigilant throughout the region,” CENTCOM wrote.

The update came minutes after U.S. officials confirmed that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had attacked and hit the Singapore-flagged cargo ship Ever Lovely with a drone as the vessel was exiting the Strait of Hormuz.

The incident added to rising concerns over shipping safety near the strategic waterway, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and is one of the world’s most important corridors for energy shipments.

The International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency responsible for global shipping safety, said Thursday that it was temporarily pausing a vessel evacuation initiative in the region after the attack off the coast of Oman.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the pause was intended to confirm that safety guarantees remain in place for vessels on the evacuation list and other ships operating nearby.

“I have been informed of an attack today in the Gulf of Oman on a vessel which passed through the Strait of Hormuz,” Dominguez said. “This vessel did not transit under IMO’s evacuation framework. I have always reiterated that the safety of the seafarers remains paramount. Therefore, to ensure a coordinated approach and navigational safety, the evacuation plan will be paused until further clarity is obtained.”

The agency said it had begun evacuating vessels from the region this week with help from member states and industry partners.

The maritime developments came as Iranian and Omani officials prepared for further discussions about the future of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Thursday that Iran and Oman would hold talks “to define [the] future administration” of the waterway following a phone call with Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi.

“We re-emphasized that Iran and Oman will conduct dialogue ‘to define future administration and maritime services in Strait of Hormuz.’ We’re determined and will do so in discussion with our neighbors,” Araghchi wrote on X.

Earlier in the week, Oman and Iran reaffirmed their commitment to international law and toll-free, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz during talks in Muscat, according to Albusaidi.

U.S. officials and lawmakers also continued responding to the broader Iran negotiations.

Sebastian Gorka, deputy assistant to the president and senior director for counterterrorism, told Fox News Digital that Tehran and its proxies would face consequences if they fail to comply with U.S. demands.

“We are back in the business of counterterrorism,” Gorka said.

Speaking at the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship conference in London, Gorka said Americans should trust President Donald Trump’s ability to negotiate and apply pressure. He said U.S. forces have killed more than 1,050 jihadists globally over the past 17 months and that 106 Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained have been brought home under Trump.

Asked whether Iran would abandon its nuclear ambitions and whether sanctions relief could help fund terror groups and proxies such as Hezbollah, Gorka pointed to Trump’s willingness to use pressure.

“My guarantee, and the guarantee for the American people, is you have a commander-in-chief who’s serious in the Oval Office, who also literally wrote the book ‘The Art of the Deal’,” Gorka said.

Gorka described Iran as “the largest state sponsor of terrorism” and said many major threats in the Middle East and beyond are connected to Tehran’s support for militant groups. He also said the United States and Israel have shown they can “degrade” and “crush” Iran-backed threats.

Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, expressed caution Thursday over Vice President JD Vance’s Iran negotiations, saying the United States should not offer concessions before Tehran meets key conditions.

“We don’t know what the final deal is,” McCaul told reporters.

McCaul said Iran must keep the Strait of Hormuz open and be prevented from building a nuclear weapon.

“You don’t reward them first and then hope they meet our conditions. That’s not a good negotiation,” McCaul said.

McCaul said he respects Vance’s effort to pursue peace but warned the United States must approach Iran with “eyes wide open,” calling Tehran “a sponsor of terror.”

Asked whether Vance can secure a deal in 60 days, McCaul said the vice president faces “an uphill battle” and that he is “a bit skeptical given Iran’s track record.”

“I think the president’s put him in a very challenging position,” McCaul said. “And I think his race for the presidency will hinge on how he performs on Iran.”

Separately, the Israel Defense Forces said Thursday that Israeli troops eliminated Hezbollah terrorists who posed a threat to soldiers operating in southern Lebanon.

The IDF said soldiers identified five Hezbollah terrorists in the Security Zone in Zawtar al-Sharqiya. In a separate incident, troops in the Ali al-Taher Ridge spotted an armed Hezbollah terrorist who also posed a threat.

Israeli air and ground forces fired on the terrorists and eliminated them, according to the IDF.

The military said troops remain active in the Ali al-Taher Ridge area and will continue working to prevent Hezbollah terrorists from operating there or leaving underground tunnel networks.

The developments underscored the volatility across the region as U.S. forces continue patrols, maritime authorities reassess evacuation operations, and diplomatic talks over Iran and the Strait of Hormuz remain underway.