The United States President Donald Trump says a ceasefire is still in place with Iran, despite a clash between Iran and US naval destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz for which both sides blamed the other.
The US said Iran launched missiles, drones and small boats against three of its warships, in what it called an “unprovoked attack”. Trump said Iran “trifled with us today”.
Iran’s top military command, meanwhile, alleged the US had targeted an Iranian oil tanker and another vessel approaching the Strait of Hormuz and carried out “aerial attacks” on several coastal areas.
The flare-up comes a day after Iran’s foreign ministry had said it was considering a US proposal to end the war.
In a further sign of the fragility of the ceasefire, early on Friday the United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Defence said its air defences were “actively engaging” with an missile and drone attack from Iran.
Iranian state media initially reported “explosions” in the Strait of Hormuz, describing them as an “exchange of fire” with the “enemy”. Meanwhile, local media reported explosions were heard in Tehran.
Not long after, a statement from Iran’s top military command said US “aerial attacks” struck the coasts of Bandar Khamir, Sirik and Qeshm Island.