June 27, 2026 – The United States military carried out airstrikes against Iranian missile and drone storage facilities and coastal radar sites on Friday, retaliating for what President Donald Trump called a “foolish violation” of the US-Iran ceasefire after an Iranian drone struck a commercial cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.
The exchange of fire – the most serious breach of the 60-day ceasefire since it was signed on June 17 – has thrown the fragile truce into doubt and prompted the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to suspend its effort to evacuate hundreds of ships and more than 11,000 seafarers stranded in the Gulf since the war began in late February.
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The Attack on the Ever Lovely
On Thursday evening, June 25, at approximately 10:00 p.m. Singapore Time, an Iranian one-way attack drone struck the M/V Ever Lovely, a Singapore-flagged container ship owned by Taiwan-based Evergreen Marine, as it was exiting the Strait of Hormuz along the Omani coast.
The vessel, built in 2015, was hit on its bridge area approximately 7.5 nautical miles southeast of Dahit, Oman. All 21 crew members were reported safe, with no casualties. The ship sustained minor damage and was able to proceed on its voyage, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) confirmed.
US officials said Iran launched at least four one-way attack drones at ships transiting the strait. US forces intercepted three of them, but one struck the Ever Lovely.
The ship had been stranded in the Gulf for over 100 days after loading cargo in Iraq and had opted to use a southern route along the Omani coast rather than IRGC-designated corridors. Hours before the attack, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had issued a directive requiring all commercial vessels to coordinate directly with the Iranian navy – a demand rejected by the US and six Gulf states as “interventionist, irresponsible and provocative.”
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Trump: ‘A Foolish Violation’
President Trump condemned the attack on Friday in a post on Truth Social, directly blaming Iran for the strike.
> “The Islamic Republic of Iran shot at least four One Way Attack Drones at Ships transversing the Strait of Hormuz. 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.”
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump declined to specify how Washington would respond but warned: “I don’t like the fact that they took a shot yesterday. They shouldn’t be doing that.”
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US Retaliatory Strikes
Hours after Trump’s statement, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced it had conducted “powerful” retaliatory strikes against Iranian military assets.
According to CENTCOM, US aircraft struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites in and around the coastal city of Sirik in Hormozgan Province, on the shores of the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes were described as a “proportional response” to Iran’s attack on the commercial vessel.
> “U.S. aircraft struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites after Iran hit M/V Ever Lovely on June 25 with a one-way attack drone,” CENTCOM said in a statement. “The unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces clearly violated the ceasefire. Furthermore, Iran’s dangerous behavior undermined freedom of navigation as commerce increasingly flows through the vital international trade corridor.”
CENTCOM added that its forces would continue providing safe passage coordination for commercial vessels transiting the strait and remain “present and vigilant to ensure all aspects of the agreement with Iran are adhered to, obeyed, and in full force and effect.”
Axios reported that the US strikes targeted several Iranian air defense and radar installations around the Strait of Hormuz, expanding beyond the initial missile and drone storage locations.
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Iran’s Response and Threats
Iranian state media, including Nour News and the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), reported at least three explosions near Sirik. The IRGC claimed its naval and air forces had “neutralized” the US strike and warned that any further “foolishness” would be met with a “harsh response.”
Iran’s state TV quoted the IRGC saying its response to the fresh US attack would be “swift and decisive.” The IRGC also stated the attack on Sirik Island “will not go unanswered.”
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi wrote on X: “Safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz cannot be guaranteed under ambiguous arrangements, parallel routes or decision-making that does not take Iran’s role as a coastal state into account.”
The IRGC has previously threatened that it could charge tolls on vessels transiting the strait – a proposal that could generate an estimated $40 billion annually for Tehran, according to Iranian officials.
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IMO Halts Evacuation of Stranded Ships
The attack and subsequent US strikes have dealt a severe blow to international efforts to clear the bottleneck of vessels trapped in the Gulf since the conflict erupted on February 28.
The IMO immediately suspended its voluntary evacuation scheme, which had been established under the ceasefire agreement to escort hundreds of stranded commercial ships out of the Gulf. More than 11,000 seafarers remain trapped aboard vessels anchored in the region, with no clear timeline for their evacuation.
Singapore, as a littoral state of the Straits of Malacca and a staunch defender of freedom of navigation in the region, condemned the attack as “unprovoked, unjustifiable, and a breach of international law.” The MPA stated it would continue to remain in close contact with the vessel’s management company and provide necessary assistance.
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Ceasefire Under Strain
The 60-day ceasefire, formalized through a 14-point memorandum of understanding signed by Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on June 17, had called for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz for commercial shipping and the lifting of naval blockades while both sides negotiated a long-term agreement on Iran’s nuclear program and sanctions relief.
Friday’s escalation represents the most serious test of that agreement. The Ever Lovely was the first vessel to be struck since the ceasefire took effect.
The attack also underscores the broader stakes: the Strait of Hormuz handles roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply. Even before this incident, the prolonged closure had already removed an estimated one billion barrels from global markets, driven Brent crude above $105 per barrel, and forced the International Monetary Fund to trim global growth forecasts.
With both sides now trading military strikes and political accusations, the question of whether the 60-day truce can survive – and whether the Strait of Hormuz can remain open – hangs in the balance.
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What to Watch
– IRGC follow-up action: Whether Iran carries out its threat of a “swift and decisive” response against US positions in the region
– CENTCOM posture: Any additional strikes or adjustments to safe-passage coordination for commercial vessels
– Shipping disruption: Impact on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and global oil prices
– Ceasefire viability: Whether the 14-point MOU survives or collapses into a renewed cycle of hostilities
– Diplomatic track: Status of US-Iran negotiations for a permanent settlement, and any third-party mediation efforts
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*Sources: CENTCOM official statement, White House press pool, Reuters, Axios, Al Jazeera, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, Times of Israel, Iranian state media (IRIB, Nour News), DefconLevel.com OSINT analysis.*
– George, 1ban.news