Iran Navy Repels US Destroyers From Strait of Hormuz After Alleged Ceasefire Violation

Iran’s Army Navy announced that it launched missile and drone strikes against American destroyers near the Strait of Hormuz after accusing US forces of attacking Iranian oil tankers in violation of a ceasefire agreement.

In a statement released Friday, the Iranian military said naval forces targeted US destroyers on Thursday night “using various missiles, combat drones, and rockets” after American vessels allegedly attacked Iranian tankers operating near the Strait of Hormuz and within Iranian territorial waters.

According to the statement, “the aggressor American destroyers changed course and left the area” following the Iranian response.

Iranian officials said the confrontation followed a series of US military operations against Iranian ships and port regions. Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, claimed that the US military targeted an Iranian oil tanker traveling from the Jask coastal region toward the Strait of Hormuz.

A second Iranian vessel was reportedly attacked while entering the strategic waterway near the UAE’s Fujairah port.

Iran also accused US forces and regional allies of carrying out airstrikes on civilian areas along the southern Iranian coastline, including locations near Bandar Khamir, Sirik, and Qeshm Island.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy described Iran’s retaliation as a “highly extensive and precise combined operation” launched after the tanker attacks and the movement of US destroyers toward the Strait of Hormuz despite what Tehran called “clear warnings.”

Iranian officials said the operation involved anti-ship ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and combat drones equipped with high-explosive warheads, which were fired directly at US naval assets.

According to Iranian military sources, intelligence assessments after the operation indicated “significant damage” to American military equipment, while three US vessels reportedly withdrew from the area following the strikes.

Earlier, Khatam al-Anbiya spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari warned that Iran would “deliver a crushing response to any act of aggression or violation powerfully and without the slightest hesitation.”

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ismail Baghaei posted a warning message on X directed at Washington and its allies, writing, “If you see a lion’s fangs bared, do not assume the lion is smiling.”

The latest developments have intensified tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important global energy and shipping routes.