Trump follows through, US forces strike Iran after drone attack on cargo ship days after signing MOU

WASHINGTON, DC: The United States launched airstrikes on Iranian missile, drone, and coastal radar sites on Friday, June 26, after Iran allegedly attacked a commercial cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, according to US Central Command. 

The operation came hours after President Donald Trump responded, "You'll find out," when asked whether Iran would face consequences for an alleged drone attack on a commercial cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes followed last week's US-Iran memorandum of understanding (MoU) to safeguard commercial shipping through the strategic waterway, which Trump said Iran breached by targeting the vessel.

Hours after Trump's 'you'll find out' remark, US launches strikes on Iran

US Central Command said American aircraft struck Iranian missile and drone storage facilities as well as coastal radar sites in what it described as a response to Iran's attack on commercial shipping.

According to Central Command, Iranian forces launched drones toward vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, June 25. Trump said at least four drones were fired, with one striking the upper deck of the Singapore-flagged cargo ship M/V Ever Lovely. "Obviously, this is a foolish violation of our Ceasefire Agreement," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Earlier Friday, when asked by reporters whether Iran would face consequences for the alleged breach, Trump declined to reveal his plans. "You'll find out," he said. "I don't like the fact that they took a shot yesterday. They shouldn't be doing that. So, you'll find out."

Central Command later announced the retaliatory operation, calling it "a powerful response."

"The unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces clearly violated the ceasefire," the command said in a statement. "Furthermore, Iran's dangerous behavior undermined freedom of navigation as commerce increasingly flows through the vital international trade corridor."

The ceasefire memorandum, signed last week, committed both sides to reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ensuring the safe passage of commercial vessels for 60 days. The waterway handles roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments and has remained a focal point of tensions between Washington and Tehran.

JD Vance says Iran can ‘pick up the phone’ as Tehran condemns US response

Following the strikes, Vice President JD Vance defended the administration's response while urging Iran to resolve disputes through diplomacy rather than military action.

"If Iran has disagreements about how the MOU is being applied, they can pick up the phone," Vance wrote on X. "But violence will be met with violence," he added.

Iranian officials rejected the US justification for the strikes. Former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Ebrahim Azizi accused Washington of undermining ongoing diplomacy.

"The US attacked Iran in the middle of negotiations once again," Azizi wrote on X. "The failed US President has shown he has no commitment to the principles of negotiation or a ceasefire."

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also issued a warning that any further US military action would be met with a broader response. In a statement, it said, "If the aggression is repeated, our response will be more extensive than this."