US Central Command (CENTCOM), the agency responsible for US military operations in the Middle East, announced on 26/6 that its forces conducted airstrikes against Iranian missile depots, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and coastal radar stations. This action came after Iran allegedly used a suicide UAV to attack the cargo ship Ever Lovely on 25/6.
The Singapore-flagged vessel Ever Lovely was attacked while sailing along the Omani coast, exiting the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM characterized Iran's action as "unprovoked aggression against a commercial vessel" and a "clear violation of the ceasefire agreement", describing the airstrikes as a "strong retaliatory response".
Iranian state television reported an explosion occurred at the Taherouyeh port area in Sirik city, southern Iran. Military sources confirmed a warhead struck the location.
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Smoke rises in Tehran, Iran, after an airstrike on 6/4. AFP
US President Donald Trump on 26/6 also condemned Iran's drone attack on the cargo ship, labeling it a "foolish act violating the ceasefire agreement".
Ebrahim Azizi, Chairman of Iran's National Security Committee in parliament, criticized President Trump, stating he "has shown he does not uphold commitments to negotiation principles or the ceasefire agreement". Azizi warned that "reckless US actions violating the ceasefire will only lead to their retreat and regret".
"Blaming others no longer works", Azizi wrote on X.
Iranian news agencies Tasnim and IRNA cited the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) saying they had "attacked US military positions in the region" in retaliation, but did not specify the location.
The IRGC condemned the US airstrikes against Iran, claiming Washington violated commitments in a memorandum signed with Tehran last week.
"If aggressive actions continue, we will respond strongly and on a larger scale", the IRGC declared.
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Transit lanes through the Strait of Hormuz. Guardian
The attack on the Ever Lovely in the Strait of Hormuz followed an IRGC demand on 25/6 that vessels transit the strait via a route announced by its forces, warning of action against violating vessels. The IRGC had earlier stated that "some authorities announced new transit lanes in the Strait of Hormuz", deeming this unacceptable.
In contrast, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Joint Maritime Information Centre, managed by the British navy, on 18/6 had declared that "the southern transit lane, along the Omani coast, is cleared of mines and is the recommended route", also publishing coordinates for safe passage.
By Nhu Tam (Reuters, AFP)
