US President Donald Trump stated that the ceasefire remains in force, despite the exchange of fire in the Strait of Hormuz, in a new episode of escalation in the maritime route that is one of the world’s main oil bottlenecks.
Trump still tried to minimize the impact of the confrontation. “They played with us today. We defeated them easily,” said the American president.
Earlier, by hitting multiple targets in and around the Strait of Hormuz, a focal point of the region’s ongoing conflict. The Iranian military said it responded by attacking American military ships east of the strait and south of the port of Chabahar.
The US Armed Forces Central Command (CENTCOM) said its troops “intercepted unprovoked attacks from Iran and responded with self-defense actions” as three US Navy destroyers crossed the strait on Thursday night.
According to CENTCOM, “Iranian forces launched multiple missiles, drones and small boats” against the American ships as they headed towards the Gulf of Oman. “No US assets were hit,” the command said.
The statement further said that CENTCOM “eliminated approaching threats and attacked Iranian military installations responsible for attacks against US forces, including missile and drone launch points, command and control centers, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance structures.”
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“CENTCOM does not seek escalation, but remains positioned and ready to protect American forces,” the text added.
