Ceasefire Under Strain: Details Of The US–Iran Military Escalation

Reuters

The Strait of Hormuz.

In the most serious test of the ceasefire in place since 8 April, the United States and Iran exchanged attacks on Thursday evening.

Tehran later stated that the situation had returned to normal, while Washington said it did not seek escalation.

However, the question remains what unfolded in recent hours between the two sides, particularly after a period of optimism over a possible agreement to bring an end to the conflict that erupted on 28 February.

To understand this, it is necessary to consider the conflicting accounts from both sides, each accusing the other of breaking the truce first.

A senior US official said Iranian forces launched missiles and drones, and used small boats in attacks on American naval vessels, and were preparing further strikes before US forces carried out what they described as defensive operations. The official added that US strikes targeted military facilities on Qeshm Island, off Iran’s southern coast in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as Bandar Abbas, a key port city on the strait, and the coastal port of Kharg. Coastal missile defence sites and radar installations were also hit, according to The Wall Street Journal.

US Central Command reported that Iran had used missiles, drones, and small boats in an attack targeting three US Navy destroyers.

In response, Iran’s military said it had struck the warships in retaliation for a previous US attack on an Iranian oil tanker. Tehran said the US had targeted a tanker it accused of attempting to breach a naval blockade imposed on Iranian ports since 13 April. A Revolutionary Guard spokesperson said the US had violated the ceasefire by striking an Iranian oil tanker heading towards the Strait of Hormuz, along with another vessel entering the strait, and by carrying out airstrikes on coastal areas including Khamir, Sirik, and Qeshm Island. He added that Iranian forces responded by targeting US warships east of the Strait of Hormuz and south of Chabahar port.

This is not the first exchange of fire since the ceasefire came into effect in April. Earlier on Monday, the US military said it had destroyed six Iranian small boats and intercepted cruise missiles and drones, as Iran attempted to disrupt US naval efforts to secure navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

The latest escalation comes at a delicate moment, as Washington awaits Iran’s response to a US proposal for a preliminary agreement aimed at ending the conflict. Key issues, including Iran’s nuclear programme, would be left for later negotiations between the two sides.


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