US, Iran trade blows and accusations over Strait of Hormuz transit freedom

U.S. forces and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) continue to trade blows and accusations of ceasefire violations over the weekend, as transit through the Strait of Hormuz remains a sticking point. 

The IRGC said it launched attacks against U.S. facilities in the Gulf early Sunday morning, following strikes carried out by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) late on Saturday night. 

In a statement, the IRGC said it responded to U.S. strikes, claiming to launch attacks on eight “key U.S. military installations” in the region, including the Ali Al Salem Airbase in Kuwait and the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters at Salman Port in Bahrain. 

Kuwait and Bahrain reported missile and drone attacks early on Sunday morning.  

Iranian officials also threatened to halt negotiations with the U.S. over repeated ceasefire violations. 

CENTCOM announced “additional strikes” against Iranian military targets “at the Commander in Chief’s direction.” 

“CENTCOM forces launched strikes today in direct response to continued Iranian aggression against commercial shipping. U.S. military aircraft targeted Iranian military surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defense sites, drone storage facilities, and minelayer capabilities,” the military said in a statement. 

U.S. Navy and Air Force fighter jets conducted strikes tonight on 10 Iranian military targets at multiple locations in and near the Strait of Hormuz for Iran's drone attack on M/T Kiku. pic.twitter.com/Z0TLZRqmF6

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 28, 2026

The military command noted that the previous strikes came in response to attacks on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. 

“Iran was given a chance to honor the ceasefire agreement but elected not to when its forces launched a one-way attack drone that hit M/T Kiku this morning at 4:30 a.m. ET,” CENTCOM said regarding the Iranian action which provoked its most recent strikes. 

The Iranian attacks on the vessels came following an announcement of an alternate route through the strait, different than the route established by the IRGC. Despite claims by U.S. President Donald Trump that the waterway would be opened for all vessels, Iran insists that it has sovereignty over the crucial passageway. 

The U.S. strikes on Iranian military positions around the Strait of Hormuz was the second time American forces struck Islamic Republic positions in less than 24 hours, and came as escalation between the two sides appears to threaten the fragile ceasefire. 

On Friday, U.S. forces struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations, CENTCOM said, following the Iranian attack on the Singapore-flagged cargo ship M/V Ever Lovely late on Thursday. 

The cargo vessel was struck while traversing near Oman’s coastline, following warnings by the IRGC instructing commercial ships to only use sea lanes authorized by Tehran. 

The IRGC Navy warned against ships using unauthorized routes. 

“Our strikes against violators serve as a clear reminder to the remaining vessels of the safe route for passage. As for the American bases in the region, that is a separate matter. They will experience hell in the coming days,” it said in a statement on Saturday. 

Following the U.S. strikes, Iranian drones targeted the Panama-flagged tanker M/T Kiku Saturday morning, which drew the additional U.S. strikes. 

President Trump threatened further action against the Islamic Republic on social media: 

“United States aircraft just struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations, and coastal radar sites, for violating the Cease Fire Agreement, AGAIN! It is very possible that they will never learn! There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started. If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!” 

President Trump denounced the Iranian drone strikes on the ships as “a foolish violation of our Ceasefire Agreement” in a post to his Truth Social account. 

“The Islamic Republic of Iran shot at least four One Way Attack Drones at Ships traversing the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote on Friday evening. ”One of the Drones solidly hit the upper deck of a large and very expensive Cargo Carrying Ship. Damage was done, but the Ship was able to proceed on its way. We knocked down three other Drones. Obviously, this is a foolish violation of our Ceasefire Agreement.” 

Iran’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the latest U.S. airstrikes on "several monitoring and surveillance facilities" off the southern coast of Iran, calling it a clear violation of the first paragraph of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two nations, intended to end the war. 

“The US terrorist army’s aerial strikes on Iran’s coastal monitoring facilities constitute a clear violation of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter and a blatant breach of Article 1 of the ceasefire MoU,” the foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday. 

“The Islamic Republic of Iran will defend its sovereignty, security, and national interests with all its might,” the statement continued. 

Major General Mohsen Rezaei, a former commander of the IRGC, and an advisor to former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, threatened a “swift and decisive” response to any violation of the MoU. 

“America, by supporting the actions of its proxy forces in the region, has violated the first article of the memorandum of understanding, and by continuing to create tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, has violated the fifth article,” Rezaei wrote to social media on Saturday. “The response to the violation of any article of the memorandum of understanding will be swift and decisive.”