Did you know that Truthout is a nonprofit and independently funded by readers like you? If you value what we do, please support our work with a donation.
The tenuous ceasefire between Iran and the United States that was established last month appears to have ended, though no official announcement has been made, as Iran launched missile and drone attacks on vessels while the U.S. began a new operation, “Project Freedom,” to escort ships in and out of the Strait of Hormuz.
After the U.S. announced its plan to guide ships through the waterway, Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi, the commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, announced that “any foreign armed force, especially the invading U.S. army, if they intend to approach and enter the Strait of Hormuz, will be subjected to attack.”
Dubai-based journalist Natasha Turak indicated that “Project Freedom” would be considered by Tehran to be a “violation of the ceasefire.”
On Monday, U.S. vessels began escorting ships out of the strait. Shortly after, there were reports that one of its warships had been struck by Iranian missiles, which CENTCOM denied.
Later, CENTCOM head Adm. Brad Cooper acknowledged that Iran had opened fire on U.S. warships. He refused to say whether the action by Iran constituted an end to the ceasefire agreement.
U.S. forces have reportedly returned fire on small Iranian vessels, with CNN reporting they were destroyed during the skirmishes.
“The U.S. destroyed six Iranian small boats that attempted to interfere,” Cooper told reporters. He added that two commercial boats had successfully exited the strait.
Iran’s state media said their small boats had not been destroyed.
In a Truth Social post, President Donald Trump confirmed the Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, stating that they had damaged a South Korean boat, but did not say whether the action changed the nominal status of a ceasefire between the two countries.
“Secretary of War [sic] Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Caine, will have a News Conference tomorrow morning,” Trump wrote.
In addition to attacks in the Strait of Hormuz itself, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Defense said that Iran had launched at least four cruise missiles toward the country. The UAE alleges it intercepted three of those missiles, with the fourth one falling into the sea.
However, a fire also broke out at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone in the UAE on Monday. As of this writing, it’s unclear whether that incident is related to Iranian attacks on the country.
The apparent resumption of hostilities comes about one month after a ceasefire deal was reportedly reached between Washington and Tehran. The ceasefire was initially announced on April 8 and set to expire two weeks later. When that deadline was reached, Trump announced that he was extending the ceasefire indefinitely, ostensibly allowing for negotiations to end the war to continue.
The lasting ceasefire was used by the administration to claim that the terms of the War Powers Act of 1973 (requiring the administration to provide an adequate rationale for extending a war with Iran beyond a 60-day deadline last week) had somehow “paused” those requirements. No part of that statute allows for a pause, with or without a ceasefire in place.
Press freedom is under attack
As Trump cracks down on political speech, independent media is increasingly necessary.
Truthout produces reporting you won’t see in the mainstream: journalism from the frontlines of global conflict, interviews with grassroots movement leaders, high-quality legal analysis and more.
Our work is possible thanks to reader support. Help Truthout catalyze change and social justice — make a tax-deductible monthly or one-time donation today.