US forces struck Iranian missile and drone storage sites and coastal radar positions on Friday after Washington accused Tehran of attacking a cargo ship, jolting a fragile ceasefire as diplomats struggled to contain the Middle East war.
US Central Command said the strikes were a response to “unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces” that “clearly violated the ceasefire”.
It described the operation as “a powerful response to yesterday’s attack on a commercial ship that was transiting the Strait of Hormuz”.
Iranian state television, citing a reporter in Sirik, said an explosion was heard late Friday at Taherouyeh pier in the southern port city.
It quoted an informed military source as saying the blast was caused by a projectile impact in the area.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Saturday said it targeted US military positions in the region in response.
The Guards did not provide details on the US positions it targeted in the region.
The statement by the IRGC came after the semi-official ISNA news agency carried an earlier statement, it said was from the IRGC, saying the force’s response to a fresh US attack against Iran will be “swift and decisive,” before later deleting the statement.
US President Donald Trump had earlier denounced what he described as an Iranian drone strike on the vessel, saying: “Obviously, this is a foolish violation of our ceasefire agreement.”
The exchange raised fresh questions about efforts to keep the Strait of Hormuz open while Washington and Tehran negotiate a final settlement to a war that began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February.
Iran has warned vessels not to enter or leave the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz without permission, but ships have continued to move, some using a route not authorised by Tehran.
Around half of the 42 vessels that made the passage on Thursday used an unapproved southern route along the coast of Oman, according to the Kpler tracking platform.
The UN maritime agency said an evacuation operation had freed 115 vessels and 2,500 seafarers trapped by the dispute before the attack forced its suspension.
Oil prices nevertheless fell sharply, reflecting hopes that traffic through the strategic strait, which normally sees around a fifth of the world’s oil and gas exports, would continue to recover despite the latest flare-up
