The fragile truce in has been blown up. Iran and the United States accused each other this Friday of starting a new military escalation in one of the most strategic maritime routes on the planet, after a night marked by crossed attacks, missiles, drones and bombings on Iranian facilities.
The Iranian Army denounced that US forces violated the ceasefire in force since April by attacking two boats near Hormuz, including an Iranian oil tanker that was sailing towards the strait
According to Tehran, Washington also bombed “civilian areas” in Bandar Jamir, Sirik and the island of Qeshm “in cooperation with countries in the region.”
The Iranian response came shortly after. In a statement released by official media and collected by the Tasnim agency, the Army claimed to have launched attacks against US military vessels. in the east of the Strait of Hormuz and near the port of Chabahar, causing “significant damage.”
The He later described the operation as a “wide and precise” action carried out with destroyers, ballistic missiles and drones with multiple warheads.
The US talks about “self-defense”
The American version is completely different. The United States Central Command also confirmed the clashes, but he assured that it was the Iranian forces who started the hostilities.
According to Washington, several Iranian units launched “multiple missiles, drones and small boats” against the destroyers USS Truxtun, USS Rafael Peralta and USS Mason while transiting the international sea lane connecting the Strait of Hormuz with the Gulf of Oman.
After those attacks, it claims to have responded by bombing Iranian “command and control” centers and military installations.
According to information broadcast by Fox News, the US objectives included positions in Qeshm, Bandar Abbas y Bandar Kargan, key points of Iranian naval infrastructure in the Persian Gulf.
Despite the intensity of the attacks, Central Command insisted that Washington “is not seeking escalation”although it warned that it maintains full capacity to protect US forces deployed in the region.
The truce that never fully consolidated
The new clashes come just one day after to publicly affirm that he saw it as “very possible” to reach a peace agreement with Tehran.
The ceasefire had been declared unilaterally by Trump on April 8, in an attempt to open direct negotiations with Iran and reduce regional tension after weeks of crossed threats and attacks in the Persian Gulf.
However, the situation never completely stabilized. Over the past few weeks, both sides had repeatedly accused each other of partial non-compliance and provocative military moves andaround the Strait of Hormuzan area through which nearly a fifth of the world’s oil transported by sea circulates.
The new exchange of attacks now once again triggers international fear of a broader escalation in Middle East, especially at a time of maximum regional tension by the open conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon and the Red Sea.
With the United States and Iran trading direct accusations and military operations in one of the most sensitive energy arteries on the planet, The truce seems increasingly closer to definitive collapse.
Trump: “The ceasefire continues, but…”
Donald Trumpfor its part, said this Thursday – to the ABC network – that the ceasefire in Iran “remains in force”, despite the exchange of attacks with Tehran in the Strait of Hormuz and which has been described as a violation of the agreement by the Islamic republic.
Trump said that the exchange of missiles recorded this afternoon in Hormuz was only “a touch of love”, when ABC journalist Rachael Soctt asked him by phone about what was happening in the Middle East.
“No, no, the ceasefire continues. It is in force”added the Republican during the interview with the network. However, he has warned that he could use “more force and more violence” against Iran if an agreement is not signed soon.
