The United States and Iran exchanged fire on Thursday in the most serious test yet of their month-long ceasefire. Tehran said US forces targeted two ships entering the and struck Iranian territory, while Washington claimed its military action was a response to Iranian attacks. However, both insisted they do not seek escalation.
The renewed hostilities broke out as Washington was awaiting Iran’s response to a US proposal that would stop the fighting but leave the most contentious issues, such as Iran’s nuclear program, unresolved for now.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump brushed off Iran’s attacks on three American warships as “a trifle,” insisting the ceasefire remained intact and claiming US forces “blew them away.” Here’s a look at who said what
What Iran said?
‘s top joint military command accused the US of violating the ceasefire by targeting an Iranian oil tanker and another ship, and of carrying out air attacks on civilian areas on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz and the nearby coastal areas of Bandar Khamir and Sirik on the mainland. The military said it responded by attacking U.S. military vessels east of the strait and south of the port of Chabahar.
A spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said the Iranian strikes inflicted “significant damage,” but U.S. Central Command said none of its assets were hit.
What US said?
said Iran had used missiles, drones and small boats in the attack, which targeted three Navy destroyers. The U.S. said it targeted missile and drone sites and other locations in response.
“CENTCOM does not seek escalation but remains positioned and ready to protect American forces,” it said in a statement.
Iran also said it would respond if attacked.
“(The) U.S. and its allies must know that Iran will respond forcefully and without the slightest hesitation to any act of aggression or attack,” the military spokesperson said, according to state television.
What Trump said?
dismissed Iran’s attacks on three American warships Thursday as “a trifle,” saying he considered the ceasefire still active.
Asked during a visit to see renovations of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool if the Iran ceasefire was still on despite the attacks, Trump said: “Yeah it is. They trifled with us today. We blew them away. They trifled. I call that a trifle.”
Earlier, Trump, in a social media post that repeated parts of the Central Command statement, said three U.S. destroyers transited out of the Strait of Hormuz and came under fire, but suffered no damage, while stating that the Iranian attackers were “completely destroyed” along with several small boats.
“These boats went to the bottom of the Sea, quickly and efficiently,” he said. “Missiles were shot at our Destroyers, and were easily knocked down. Likewise, drones came, and were incinerated while in the air.”
Trump also urged Iran to accept a negotiated end to the war, saying: “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!”
Oil prices surges again
The war has tested Trump’s relationship with his U.S. base of supporters, after he had campaigned against involving the United States in foreign wars and promised to bring down fuel prices.
U.S. futures rose as much as 3% in early trading in Asia on Friday after the renewed hostilities broke out.
U.S. gasoline prices have climbed more than 40% since late February, rising by about $1.20 a gallon to more than $4, according to data from the American Automobile Association, as disruptions to oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz pushed crude oil prices higher.
Markets have swung sharply during the course of the war as hopes for a peace deal repeatedly rose and faded.
(With inputs from agencies)
