United States and Iranian forces exchanged fire around the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, with the US military saying it intercepted Iranian attacks directed at three Navy ships and then struck military facilities linked to the assault. The US said none of its ships was hit.
US Central Command characterized the incoming attacks as unprovoked and described its response as self-defense. It said American forces did not seek escalation but were prepared to protect US personnel. The supplied reporting did not identify the three ships, specify the weapons intercepted or provide an independent assessment of damage from the American strikes.
Iranian state media separately reported that the country's armed forces exchanged fire with an enemy on Qeshm Island, Iran's largest island in the Persian Gulf. State and semiofficial outlets also reported defensive fire in western Tehran and explosions near Bandar Abbas, without identifying what caused those blasts.
The confrontation highlighted the fragility of a ceasefire that had mostly held since April 8. The wider conflict began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran. In-person negotiations hosted by Pakistan during April did not produce an agreement ending the war.
President Donald Trump maintained that the ceasefire was still in place despite the new violence. He also renewed pressure on Tehran to accept a deal. Earlier Thursday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Iran was reviewing messages carried by Pakistan, the mediator, and had not yet decided on a response to the latest US proposals.
Pakistani officials said they remained in frequent contact with both governments and hoped for a peaceful, durable settlement. The diplomatic activity continued alongside the military exchange, leaving de-escalation efforts active but unresolved.
The clash occurred as shipping through Hormuz remained heavily disrupted. Hundreds of commercial vessels were reported bottled up inside the Persian Gulf. A maritime intelligence company also reported that Iran had created an agency to approve passages and collect tolls, an effort that raised concern over formalized Iranian control of the waterway.
Hormuz is a crucial route for energy and commercial shipping, so even a limited exchange involving naval vessels carries consequences beyond the combatants. The combination of military interceptions, retaliatory strikes and restricted maritime traffic increased uncertainty for crews and cargo owners already facing prolonged delays.
Thursday's events did not conclusively end the ceasefire, but they showed how quickly direct contact could threaten it. With competing official narratives and incomplete details about the engagements, the clearest confirmed points in the supplied evidence were the US report of successful interceptions, Iran's acknowledgment of an exchange, and the continued diplomatic effort to prevent renewed full-scale fighting.
