TEHRAN/APLINGTON — Tensions between the United States and Iran escalated dramatically on Thursday when Iranian forces reportedly launched missiles, drones, and small assault boats at three U.S. warships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, prompting American counterstrikes on nearby Iranian ports. U.S. military officials described the Iranian actions as an "unprovoked attack," stating that all threats were neutralized and that the warships suffered no damage. In response, U.S. forces carried out "self-defense strikes" on Iranian military assets abutting the strait, according to the Pentagon.
Iranian officials, however, presented a starkly different narrative, accusing the U.S. of firing first on Iranian vessels and civilian areas along the coast. "The U.S. has crossed the point of no return," Brigadier General Ebrahim Zulfuqari, a spokesman for Iran's Khatam Al-Anbiya military headquarters, said in a social media post late Thursday. He vowed that Iran's response would be "commensurate with the crime and more." The Iranian Foreign Ministry echoed this sentiment, condemning the American actions as a "clear violation of the ceasefire understanding dated April 8, 2026," and labeling them acts of aggression under international law.
The clash occurred amid an ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran that began on February 28, following heightened hostilities involving Israeli strikes and Iranian-backed groups. A fragile ceasefire brokered between the U.S. and Iran has been in place since April, but both sides have accused each other of breaches. President Donald Trump insisted late Thursday that the truce remains "still in effect," despite the exchange of fire. Speaking to reporters during a visit to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, Trump warned that if Iran does not accept a peace deal, the U.S. would "knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently." He added, "They trifled with us today. We blew them away."
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei downplayed the ceasefire's status, describing it as a "nominal ceasefire situation." Regarding ongoing negotiations, Baqaei said Tehran's review of the latest U.S. proposal continues, and "once a final decision is reached it will be announced." Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi took to social media to criticize the U.S., writing, "Every time a diplomatic solution is on the table, the U.S. opts for a reckless military adventure. Is it a crude pressure tactic? Or the result of a spoiler once again duping POTUS into another quagmire? Whatever the causes, outcome is the same: Iranians never bow to pressure."
Casualties from the Strait of Hormuz incident were reported on the Iranian side. According to Mohammad Radmehr, an official in Iran's southern Hormozgan province, a cargo vessel near the waters of Minab was struck and caught fire during the "Americans' aggressive actions last night in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz and the Makran Sea." He told the semi-official Mehr news agency on Friday that 10 sailors were wounded and transferred to a hospital, while five others remain missing as search teams continue their efforts. Iran's military claimed its counterattacks on the U.S. warships caused "severe and substantial damage," though Trump and U.S. officials denied any harm to American vessels.
The violence spilled over into neighboring countries. Early Friday, the United Arab Emirates activated its air defense systems to intercept two ballistic missiles and three drones launched by Iran, according to the UAE Ministry of Defense. Debris from the interceptions moderately wounded three people. Since the war's outset, the UAE—a close U.S. ally—has intercepted a total of 551 Iranian ballistic missiles, 29 cruise missiles, and 2,263 drones, the ministry reported. The cumulative toll in the UAE stands at 230 wounded, including 10 civilians, two armed forces members, and one foreign civilian military contractor killed.
Iran also accused the U.S. of new strikes on Friday, including attacks on two oil tankers belonging to the Islamic Republic in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as coastal locations in Khamir, Sirik, and Qeshm Island. The Foreign Ministry statement detailed the incidents as occurring in the late hours of Thursday night, May 7, and early Friday morning. U.S. Central Command has not immediately confirmed these additional actions, maintaining that the initial response was limited to self-defense measures against the perceived Iranian assault on the warships.
In a related development, Iran's military announced the seizure of an oil tanker named the Ocean Koi in the Sea of Oman on Friday. State television aired footage of naval commandos boarding the vessel at night and escorting it to southern Iranian waters for handover to judicial authorities. Iranian officials claimed the ship, which had been lingering off Oman's coast for weeks after departing an Iraqi port, was attempting to "disrupt" Iran's oil exports and national interests. Tracking data from MarineTraffic indicated the tanker—previously known as Jin Li and subject to U.S. sanctions as part of Iran's shadow fleet—had no oil on board at the time. The U.K.'s Maritime Trade Operations Center reported no incidents involving the vessel, adding to questions about the interception's motives.
The Strait of Hormuz clashes come as the broader conflict widens on multiple fronts. In southern Lebanon, the Israeli military issued evacuation orders on Friday for residents of seven villages: Al-Namriyah, Tayr Filisiya, Hallusiyah, Upper Hallusiyah, Turah, Marakah, and Al-Abbayiyya. Israel Defense Forces spokesman Avichay Adraee warned that lives would be in danger if people did not leave, citing Hezbollah's "violation of the ceasefire agreement" brokered by the U.S. between Israel and the Lebanese government. Hezbollah, not a signatory to the truce, accused Israel of breaches and claimed attacks on an Israeli bulldozer, tank, and troops Friday. The IDF confirmed several Hezbollah strikes, reporting one soldier severely wounded and two moderately injured.
Lebanon's Health Ministry reported that the death toll from Israeli attacks since March 2 has surpassed 2,700, with more than 1 million people displaced. In Israel, over 40 people have been killed by Iranian and Hezbollah attacks since the war's start on February 28. A separate Israeli strike in southern Lebanon on Friday killed a member of the country's civil defense volunteer rescue organization, the group said, marking the second such incident in two days involving first responders. The World Health Organization has verified 152 attacks on healthcare in Lebanon since March 2, resulting in 103 deaths and 241 injuries.
Israel also announced the arrest of four individuals— one civilian and three soldiers—accused of spying for Iran while they were minors. The Shin Bet intelligence service, Israeli police, and IDF stated in a joint Friday bulletin that the suspects, around 17 years old at the time of the offenses in March, had long-term contacts with Iranian intelligence. Their alleged missions included documenting sites such as train stations, shopping centers, security cameras, and the Air Force Technical School. Some approached Iranian handlers on their own initiative, according to the statement. Shin Bet's February annual report noted a 400% increase in Iranian recruitment attempts on Israelis compared to 2024, with 25 indictments in 2025.
Diplomatically, the U.S. faces challenges from allies reluctant to fully support operations against Iran. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday during a visit to Rome that President Trump has not yet decided how to respond to NATO members denying use of their bases. "If one of the main reasons why the U.S. is in NATO is the ability to have forces deployed in Europe that we could project to other contingencies, and now that's no longer the case, at least when it comes to some NATO members, that's a problem, and it has to be examined," Rubio told reporters. Spain has flatly refused any role, while others limit access to non-offensive uses.
Last week, the Pentagon announced the withdrawal of 5,000 troops from Germany after Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized the U.S. strategy on Iran, saying it had no clear plan and was being "humiliated" by negotiators. Trump has threatened to leave NATO, calling it a "paper tiger," though a 2023 law requires congressional approval for withdrawal. On the peace front, Trump told reporters Thursday that a deal with Iran "might not happen, but it could happen any day." He claimed, "I believe they want the deal more than I do."
As the exchanges in the Strait of Hormuz and beyond raise fears of a wider regional war, the fragile ceasefire hangs in the balance. Iran's vows of retaliation and the U.S.'s firm stance on self-defense underscore the high stakes, with diplomatic efforts in Tehran reviewing proposals amid accusations of sabotage. The involvement of allies like the UAE and tensions within NATO could further complicate U.S. strategy, potentially reshaping alliances in the Middle East. For now, both sides maintain their versions of events, leaving the path to de-escalation uncertain.