US forces carried out what Central Command described as self-defense strikes in southern Iran, targeting surface-to-air missile positions and vessels that American officials said threatened US personnel near the Strait of Hormuz. Both Washington and Tehran said the temporary ceasefire remained in place, although Iran called the action a violation.
Two US officials said the strikes followed about 24 hours of activity by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps involving missiles, drones and small boats. They said surface-to-air missiles were launched while American aircraft operated nearby, but no US aircraft were hit. The officials also said drones and boats posed a potential mine-laying danger to ships and aircraft.
A US official characterized the response as highly limited and precise. A separate account cited by the Jerusalem Post said American forces struck a missile site at Bandar Abbas and two IRGC vessels seen laying mines in the strait. Explosions were also reported near Sirik and Jask.
Central Command spokesperson Navy Captain Tim Hawkins said US forces were protecting themselves while exercising restraint during the ceasefire. Two other sources told the Jerusalem Post the strikes did not mean the truce had ended, and one official said the operation was over for the time being.
Iran's Foreign Affairs Ministry accused the United States of breaching the seven-week pause in hostilities around Hormuz and warned that Iran would answer aggression. The Revolutionary Guard separately claimed it had downed a US MQ-9 drone and fired on another drone and an F-35, forcing the latter aircraft to turn away. The supplied evidence did not independently verify those Iranian claims.
The military confrontation came as diplomatic activity intensified. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said negotiators could be only days away from an agreement, though Iranian officials were more cautious. Qatar was mediating discussions that could lead to an initial memorandum and a 60-day period for negotiating a wider peace arrangement.
A prospective deal was tied to ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy and food shipments. Iran had sharply restricted commercial traffic, while the US military maintained a blockade of Iranian ports. The disruption had affected international supply chains.
Major disputes remained. US President Donald Trump demanded a resolution concerning Iran's stock of enriched uranium, including its removal or verified destruction. Tehran maintained that it was entitled to a nuclear program and was not seeking a nuclear weapon. Discussions also involved Iranian assets held in Qatar.
The strikes therefore tested a ceasefire already carrying competing interpretations. US officials portrayed them as a contained defensive response that preserved the truce; Iran framed them as hostile acts showing bad faith during negotiations. No formal announcement ending the ceasefire had been made in the supplied reporting.
