A tanker was struck in the Strait of Hormuz as the United States and Iran traded attacks, raising new doubts about a fragile agreement meant to restore commercial traffic through the key waterway.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Tensions over the Strait of Hormuz escalated after the United States and Iran exchanged attacks and a tanker reported being struck inside the critical waterway, placing new strain on a recent agreement intended to restore normal maritime traffic.
The latest confrontation marks the first round of exchanges since Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding last week. The agreement was designed to reduce hostilities and gradually return commercial movement through the Strait of Hormuz to prewar levels, but recent attacks have cast uncertainty over whether both sides will follow the terms.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Saturday that they targeted U.S. military positions, according to Iranian state media Press TV. Iran’s foreign ministry also accused the United States of violating the agreement.
CNN said it contacted the White House and U.S. Central Command for comment. A U.S. official told CNN that the United States “detected a couple drones,” adding that they did not reach their target.
Bahrain, which hosts a U.S. military base, said it was targeted by Iranian drones early Saturday. The country’s foreign affairs ministry condemned the strikes as “a flagrant violation of Bahrain’s sovereignty.” The intended target was not immediately clear, and Tehran did not initially comment.
The maritime situation also worsened Saturday when the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz had been struck by an “unidentified projectile.” The vessel sustained damage, but all crew members were uninjured, according to UKMTO. The agency advised ships to transit the area with caution.
The Joint Maritime Information Center, which is overseen by the U.S. Navy, raised the threat level in the strait to “substantial” following attacks on merchant vessels. The center said the step was taken because of the heightened danger to commercial shipping.
A route through the Strait of Hormuz near Oman was also expanded to allow more simultaneous marine traffic in both directions, according to JMIC. The move suggested the United States is seeking to counter Iran’s efforts to control the waterway and preserve freedom of navigation through the corridor.
The latest escalation followed U.S. military strikes Friday against Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM said American aircraft struck Iranian missile and drone storage sites and coastal radar installations after an earlier Iranian attack on commercial shipping.
“US aircraft struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites,” CENTCOM said. “The unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces clearly violated the ceasefire.”
The current cycle began Thursday when Iran attacked a commercial vessel near the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump described the attack as a “foolish violation” of the agreement to end the war with Iran.
A U.S. official sought to downplay the possibility of a broader escalation, telling CNN that the strikes do not represent a return to major combat operations, at least for now.
Vice President JD Vance, who played a leading role in negotiating the agreement announced last week, warned Friday evening that “violence will be met with violence.”
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most important shipping chokepoints, and renewed violence there has raised concerns about the stability of maritime traffic, regional security and the durability of the U.S.-Iran memorandum.
The agreement states that Iran will make “arrangements using its best efforts” to ensure safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz and that traffic in the waterway should return to the same volume seen before the war began. However, the memorandum does not provide detailed conditions for how those terms must be carried out.
The United States and Iran have also differed over whether Tehran may charge fees to passing vessels. Trump has said the strait must remain toll-free, while Iran has maintained that it has the right to charge ships moving through the waterway.
The competing interpretations, combined with the latest strikes, have left the agreement under mounting pressure. For now, the United States is signaling that it intends to keep maritime routes open, while Iran continues asserting its role in controlling access through the Strait of Hormuz.
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