U.S. military hits Iranian targets as payback for drone strike on ship in Strait of Hormuz
by Tom Howell Jr. · The Washington TimesThe U.S. military on Friday struck missile and drone storage sites in retaliation for strikes against a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz that were blamed on Tehran.
U.S. Central Command also said it hit coastal radar sites after Iran struck the ship, the M/V Ever Lovely, on Thursday with a one-way attack drone.
“The unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces clearly violated the ceasefire,” CENTCOM said. “Furthermore, Iran’s dangerous behavior undermined freedom of navigation as commerce increasingly flows through the vital international trade corridor.”
The statement echoed President Trump, who earlier called the drone strike a “foolish” violation of the memorandum of understanding he entered with Iran earlier this month.
The memo called for an end to the fighting and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz during 60 days of final-stage negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program and other matters.
Vice President J.D. Vance and Iranian negotiators recently finished the first round of talks in Switzerland, with the Trump administration saying Iran agreed to accept U.N. inspectors at sensitive nuclear sites and to buy American farm products with its unfrozen assets.
Iranian officials disputed that account, but the turmoil in the Strait of Hormuz is the biggest threat to the ceasefire that both sides entered through a memorandum of understanding earlier this month.
Mr. Trump said Friday that he was unhappy with Iran’s renewed aggression in the waterway and hinted at retaliation when a reporter asked about potential consequences.
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“I don’t like the fact they took a shot yesterday — actually four,” Mr. Trump said in the Oval Office. “They shouldn’t be doing that, so you’ll find out.”
CENTCOMM confirmed the retaliatory strikes less than an hour later.
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Tom Howell Jr.
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