The United States and Iran exchanged attacks after the US military said Iran had struck commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns over the future of a fragile ceasefire between Tehran and Washington.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its operation began on Tuesday and was carried out “in response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels that were transiting the Strait of Hormuz.”

CENTCOM said it struck “over 80 targets with precision munitions” before concluding the operation about four hours later.

Iranian military leaders vowed a “crushing response”, saying they would not allow foreign interference in the management of the Strait of Hormuz.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) later said it targeted 85 US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait in retaliation. Iran’s military also said a drone strike targeted US forces at the Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain.

The latest escalation comes as US President Donald Trump is in Turkiye for this year’s NATO summit. It has raised fresh concerns over last month’s agreement between Washington and Tehran to extend their ceasefire and begin talks aimed at ending the conflict, although neither side has indicated it intends to withdraw from negotiations.

On Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte described the US strikes as “absolutely necessary”, saying Washington had to respond forcefully to what it viewed as Iran’s breach of the ceasefire agreement.

‘Highly escalated situation’

Iranian media reported several explosions in the southern port city of Sirik, where projectiles reportedly struck commercial and fishing piers. Explosions were also reported on Qeshm Island and in areas near Bandar Abbas.

Sirens sounded in both Kuwait and Bahrain hours after the strikes. Kuwait’s military said its air defence systems were responding to what it described as hostile missile and drone attacks.

According to a US official, the strikes targeted Iranian air defence systems, coastal surveillance systems, surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship cruise missiles and drone launch sites. Iranian state media reported that several people were injured by shrapnel at the commercial pier in Sirik.

The IRGC later said it had shot down a US MQ-9 drone over southern Iran.

Iranian state television reported six explosions on Qeshm Island, describing it as a strategically significant location overlooking the Strait of Hormuz. It also reported at least seven explosions near Sirik Port, another key point along the waterway.

Officials on state television described the developments as a continuation of the limited confrontations that have occurred since the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU), while warning that the situation around the Strait of Hormuz had become highly escalated.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who was in Iraq attending the funeral procession of Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, returned to Iran following the attacks.

Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs blamed Washington for the consequences of what it described as violations of the June memorandum of understanding, which had extended an April ceasefire and launched talks aimed at ending the conflict. Under the agreement, the US agreed to lift its naval blockade while Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping.

The US had also agreed to suspend sanctions on Iranian oil for 60 days.

However, on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department revoked the temporary sanctions waiver less than three weeks after the MoU was signed, cancelling a licence that had allowed Iran to produce, sell and export crude oil and related products through August 21.

Mohammad Ghalibaf, Iran’s chief negotiator, described the restoration of oil sanctions and the strikes on southern Iran as “major violations” of the MoU by the United States.

The renewed tensions follow attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. A Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker caught fire off the coast of Oman on Monday after being struck by what was described as an unknown projectile.

Iranian state television said the vessel came under attack after ignoring warnings, although Tehran did not officially claim responsibility. Neither CENTCOM nor the IRGC commented on the incident.

A second vessel, a Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker, was also damaged in the Strait of Hormuz after being hit during the exchange of hostilities.

Officials noted that the latest developments resemble the reciprocal military exchanges seen in late June. Since the MoU was signed, Iran has maintained that commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz should use the northern route, while the United States has encouraged vessels to use a southern route patrolled by the US Navy.