US launches airstrikes on Iranian military sites after Strait of Hormuz cargo ship attack

The United States launched airstrikes on Iranian military targets after Tehran attacked a Singaporeflagged commercial cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz marking Washingtons first direct military response since the two countries agreed to a ceasefire earlier this weekUS Central Command CENTCOM said the strikes targeted Iranian missile and drone storage sites as well as coastal radar installations after Iran hit the MV Ever Lovely with a oneway attack drone on June 25 The vessel was exiting the Strait of Hormuz along the Omani coast when it was attackedCENTCOM forces conducted strikes against Iran June 26 as a powerful response to yesterdays attack on a commercial ship that was transiting the Strait of Hormuz the command said in a statementIt said US aircraft struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites after Iran hit MV Ever Lovely on June 25 with a oneway attack droneCENTCOM said the attack on the merchant vessel clearly violated the ceasefireThe unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces clearly violated the ceasefire Furthermore Irans dangerous behaviour undermined freedom of navigation as commerce increasingly flows through the vital international trade corridor it saidThe military said it would continue protecting commercial shipping through the strategic waterwayCENTCOM forces continue to provide safe passage coordination and support to commercial vessels transiting the strait The US military remains present and vigilant to ensure all aspects of the agreement with Iran are adhered to obeyed and in full force and effectHours before the operation President Donald Trump criticised Irans attack on the cargo vesselI dont like the fact that they took a shot yesterday Trump told reporters in the Oval Office They shouldnt be doing that Youll find outEarlier Trump wrote on social media that Iran had launched four oneway attack drones at ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz He said US forces intercepted three of them while the fourth struck the cargo shipObviously this is a foolish violation of our Ceasefire Agreement he wroteIran did not immediately acknowledge responsibility for the attack on the vessel However according to The Wall Street Journal citing Iranian state media projectiles struck a telecommunications tower in Sirik a port overlooking the Strait of Hormuz after the US retaliationThe newspaper reported that Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that any new folly will be met with a strong response that will shatter the illusions of the aggressors in the regionAccording to The Washington Post Irans Revolutionary Guard also claimed it had thwarted part of the US operation and forced American forces to retreat although there was no immediate confirmation from the US militaryThe New York Times reported that the US strikes lasted about 90 minutes and were intended as a retaliatory measure rather than a resumption of major combat operations citing US officials familiar with the operationThe latest exchange comes only days after Washington and Tehran agreed to halt hostilities following weeks of military confrontationThe ceasefire framework called for an end to military operations and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz while both sides begin negotiations on Irans nuclear programme and other outstanding issues Fridays attack on the Ever Lovely and the subsequent US retaliation now raise fresh questions over the durability of that fragile agreementThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever