Updated ,first published
Washington: The US military confirmed it struck Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz in what it said was an act of self-defence following Iranian aggression against American ships.
US Central Command, which controls operations in the Middle East, said Iran had launched multiple missiles, drones and small boats as three US guided-missile destroyers transited the strait late on Thursday (Iran time).
The US intercepted these “unprovoked Iranian attacks”, which did not hit their targets, and responded by striking the Iranian military facilities responsible, CENTCOM said in a statement.
It added that the US did not seek escalation “but remains positioned and ready to protect American forces”.
Iranian state media said the country’s armed forces exchanged fire with “the enemy” on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, which is also the largest island in the Persian Gulf.
Semi-official Iranian news agencies said explosions were heard in southern Iran near the port of Bandar Abbas. Iran’s Press TV later reported that, following several hours of fire, “the situation on Iranian islands and coastal cities by the Strait of Hormuz is back to normal now”.
US President Donald Trump said the American strikes inflicted “great damage”, while US vessels cleared the strait unharmed.
“Missiles were shot at our Destroyers, and were easily knocked down,” he said on social media. “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!”
Trump went on: “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.”
Speaking to America’s ABC News, Trump described the exchange of fire as “just a love tap”. And at a news conference in Washington, he described Iran’s attempted strikes as “trifling”, and again threatened severe destruction if a peace agreement is not signed.
“They trifled with us tonight. We blew them away,” Trump said. “They’d better sign their agreement, fast. The talks are going very well, but they have to understand – if it doesn’t get signed, they’re going to have a lot of pain. They want to sign it a lot more than I do.”
The development came as both sides discussed a potential memorandum to end the war and begin a 30-day negotiating period on the details of a potential agreement.
Iran was yet to formally respond to a one-page, 14-point framework reportedly worked on by US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Former Republican congressman Peter Meijer, now a founding partner at The New Industrial Corporation, said on CNN that the nature of Thursday’s skirmish suggested talks were progressing behind the scenes.
“The fact that our response [to Iran’s attacks] was proportionate and limited, I think, tells you that there are actually productive negotiations going on,” he said.
As for Trump’s ongoing threats: “The point of the hyperbole is to get a point where you are not perceived as a rational actor, so that your actions cannot be anticipated and your adversaries can’t work you out.”
Despite the ceasefire, most commercial ships and oil tankers are not passing through the strait due to safety concerns over Iranian gunfire, mines and tolls.
The US is also continuing a naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman targeting any ships entering or leaving Iran’s ports, aimed at choking the country’s economic lifelines.
An American attempt to provide safe passage through the strait for non-Iranian ships, called Project Freedom, was called off after less than 48 hours this week.
It has now been reported that Trump paused that mission after a phone call from Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who raised concerns about retaliatory attacks from Iran and said US forces would no longer be able to use Saudi bases.
Project Freedom involved more than 100 fighter jets and other aircraft, and relied heavily on US air power operating from Saudi and Kuwaiti bases in the region.
Also on Thursday (US time), The Washington Post reported on a confidential analysis by the CIA that it said was delivered to policymakers this week and concluded Iran could survive the US naval blockade for another three to four months before facing more severe economic hardship, citing four people familiar with the document.
That would suggest Tehran can withstand a longer stalemate with the US than Trump has publicly envisioned.
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Michael Koziol is the North America correspondent for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. He is a former Sydney editor, Sun-Herald deputy editor and a federal political reporter in Canberra.Connect via X or email.
