A senior US official told Fox News on Thursday that the US military struck Iran’s Qeshm Port and Bandar Abbas.
The official stressed, however, that the attacks do not signal a renewed war.
Later, a senior US official told Fox News that the US military also struck Iran’s Bandar Kargan naval checkpoint in Minab.
Meanwhile, the Iranian Tasnim news agency reported that the Iranian Navy attacked three US destroyers near the Strait of Hormuz with missiles and drones.
“The destroyers of the terrorist US force are fleeing towards the Sea of Oman. The attack on the hostile American destroyers was carried out by missiles and suicide drones," the report said.
The Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters of the Iranian military claimed in an official statement that the United States violated the ceasefire by attacking Iranian vessels.
"We will respond to any attack with force and without any hesitation," the statement read.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) issued an official statement, saying, “US forces intercepted unprovoked Iranian attacks and responded with self-defense strikes as US Navy guided-missile destroyers transited the Strait of Hormuz to the Gulf of Oman, May 7."
“Iranian forces launched multiple missiles, drones and small boats as USS Truxtun (DDG 103), USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115), and USS Mason (DDG 87) transited the international sea passage. No US assets were struck," said CENTCOM.
It added that the US Army “eliminated inbound threats and targeted Iranian military facilities responsible for attacking US forces including missile and drone launch sites; command and control locations; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance nodes."
“CENTCOM does not seek escalation but remains positioned and ready to protect American forces," the statement concluded.
US President Donald Trump told ABC News that the retaliatory strikes against Iranian targets are just a "love tap."
Asked if the ceasefire is over, he stressed, "No, no, the ceasefire is going. It's in effect."
In a subsequent post on Truth Social, Trump elaborated further on the incident.
"Three World Class American Destroyers just transited, very successfully, out of the Strait of Hormuz, under fire. There was no damage done to the three Destroyers, but great damage done to the Iranian attackers. They were completely destroyed along with numerous small boats, which are being used to take the place of their fully decapitated Navy. These boats went to the bottom of the Sea, quickly and efficiently. Missiles were shot at our Destroyers, and were easily knocked down. Likewise, drones came, and were incinerated while in the air. They dropped ever so beautifully down to the Ocean, very much like a butterfly dropping to its grave!" he wrote.
"A normal Country would have allowed these Destroyers to pass, but Iran is not a normal Country. They are led by LUNATICS, and if they had the chance to use a Nuclear Weapon, they would do it, without question - But they’ll never have that opportunity and, just like we knocked them out again today, we’ll knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently, in the future, if they don’t get their Deal signed, FAST! Our three Destroyers, with their wonderful Crews, will now rejoin our Naval Blockade, which is truly a 'Wall of Steel,'" added Trump.
Separately, Iran’s Mehr news agency reported that air defense systems were activated in western Tehran.
Explosions were also reported in Abu Dhabi shortly before midnight on Thursday.
Earlier, Iranian media reported mysterious explosions in the south-east of the country, near the Strait of Hormuz, but attributed them to the United Arab Emirates.
Fars News Agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, initially reported explosions near the port city of Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island.
Later, Fars reported that "exchanges of fire ensued between Iranian forces and the enemy" in the area. Another report claimed that Bahman Pier, located on Iran’s Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, was the target of an attack and was struck.
The Tasnim news agency attributed the explosions to “ hostile activity by the United Arab Emirates" in the dock area on Qeshm Island.
Source: israelnationalnews
