The United States (US) launched strikes on Iranian military targets on Friday (26) after accusing Tehran of violating a ceasefire by carrying out a drone attack on a commercial cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, BBC reported. According to the report, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said it targeted Iranian missile and drone storage facilities as well as coastal radar sites in response to Thursday’s attack on the Singapore-flagged cargo vessel Ever Lovely. CENTCOM described the operation as “a powerful response” to what it called an “unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping,” adding that the attack had disrupted a planned evacuation of thousands of sailors stranded in the region. Iran, however, said the vessel was targeted because it had used an unauthorized route through the strategic waterway. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) accused the US of violating the ceasefire by launching strikes under false pretexts and claimed its forces had retaliated against U.S. military positions in the region. The incident comes despite a 14-point memorandum of understanding agreed between Washington and Tehran on June 17 aimed at ending hostilities and ensuring safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. Following the strikes, U.S. Vice President JD Vance warned that “violence will be met with violence,” while Iranian officials accused Washington of attacking the country in the midst of negotiations. The attack on the Ever Lovely also prompted the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to suspend a planned evacuation of more than 11,000 sailors stranded in the region since fighting began earlier this year. (Newswire/BBC)
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