Tehran, May 08 (V7N) — A new military confrontation has erupted between the United States and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, further escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf despite ongoing ceasefire efforts.

According to Iranian authorities, US forces allegedly attacked an Iranian oil tanker near the port city of Jask on Thursday (May 7), which Tehran described as a violation of the existing ceasefire arrangement.

In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy reportedly launched a large-scale missile and drone operation targeting three US Navy destroyers — USS Truxton, USS Rafael Peralta, and USS Mason — while they were operating in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran claimed that multiple anti-ship ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and explosive drones were used during the attack.

However, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces successfully intercepted the incoming attacks and confirmed that none of the warships sustained damage.

CENTCOM further stated that US forces carried out retaliatory strikes targeting Iranian military positions in Qeshm Island, Bandar Abbas, Minab and Sirik as part of what it described as “self-defense operations.”

US President Donald Trump said Washington does not seek wider conflict but would use “maximum force” to protect American military personnel and assets in the region.

Iran, meanwhile, condemned the US response as an act of aggression and accused Washington of deliberately escalating the conflict in the strategically important waterway.

The latest confrontation has renewed fears of broader instability in the Gulf region, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes.

END/SMA/AJ