Clashes in Strait of Hormuz Test US-Iran Ceasefire

President Donald Trump insisted Friday that a ceasefire with Iran is holding despite a sharp overnight exchange of fire in the Strait of Hormuz and new Iranian missile and drone strikes on the United Arab Emirates that wounded civilians and heightened fears of uncontrolled escalation. The violence comes as Washington awaits Tehran’s formal response to a proposed peace deal aimed at ending months of conflict that has already reshaped the Middle East power balance.

U.S. Central Command reported that three American destroyers—the USS Truxton, USS Rafael Peralta and USS Mason—came under attack by Iranian missiles, drones and small boats while transiting the strait. No American vessels were damaged. In response, U.S. forces conducted what officials described as self-defense strikes on Iranian missile and drone launch sites, command centers and intelligence positions. Trump, speaking to reporters near the National Mall, dismissed the Iranian actions as a “trifle,” telling reporters, “They trifled with us today. We blew them away.”

Iran offered a starkly different account. Its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy said it targeted the American ships after two provocative U.S. moves: an alleged strike on an Iranian oil tanker the previous day and the destroyers’ refusal to heed warnings to halt their approach. Iranian officials accused the United States of hitting civilian areas and declared that Washington had “crossed the point of no return.” Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that every time diplomacy appears possible, the U.S. chooses “reckless military adventure.”

The exchange occurred against the backdrop of Operation Epic Fury, the Pentagon campaign launched in February to degrade Iran’s capacity to finance and export terrorism. Joint U.S.-Israeli strikes eliminated dozens of senior Iranian figures, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The resulting leadership vacuum has complicated negotiations, a point Trump himself has repeatedly acknowledged. “Nobody knows who’s in charge,” he has said, even as his administration continues back-channel talks.

That uncertainty appears to be testing the ceasefire Trump announced earlier this week. Iranian state media quoted military commanders threatening further action by the IRGC, while a spokesman described U.S. strikes as having caused “significant damage.” Tehran maintains the original ceasefire was broken by what it termed a U.S. “love tap.”

The violence extended beyond the naval theater. The UAE reported a third Iranian barrage this week, consisting of two ballistic missiles and three drones. Emirati air defenses intercepted the weapons, but the Defense Ministry said three people sustained moderate injuries and warned civilians to avoid debris. Since the current round of attacks began, Iranian projectiles have killed ten people and injured 230 across the UAE, nationals from more than two dozen countries among them. The cumulative toll includes 551 ballistic missiles, 29 cruise missiles and over 2,200 drones intercepted by Emirati forces.

In response, the UAE announced the creation of a formal committee, chaired by its attorney general, to document Iranian “acts of aggression” and “international crimes” for potential claims in international courts. The foreign ministry rejected Tehran’s justification that the attacks were retaliation for Emirati cooperation with Washington, insisting the strikes were unprovoked.

The latest flare-up casts doubt on the high-stakes diplomatic track Trump has pursued even as military operations continued. Administration officials told reporters that discussions with Iranian counterparts remain active and that Tehran is expected to respond to the latest American proposal later Friday. Yet the disjointed nature of Iran’s remaining leadership structure—decimated by targeted killings—has left few clear interlocutors. Some analysts worry the power vacuum could incentivize hard-line factions within the IRGC to act independently, undermining any deal.

Trump struck an optimistic note in a Truth Social post, claiming the American destroyers had transited successfully and that a deal “might not happen, but it could happen any day. I believe they want the deal more than I do.” Still, the rapid sequence of attacks and counterattacks illustrates the narrow margin for error. With oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz already under strain and regional allies like the UAE documenting damages for future legal action, the stakes extend far beyond bilateral U.S.-Iran relations.

The episode also highlights a paradox of the current approach. While the aggressive campaign against Iranian leadership succeeded in removing key figures tied to terrorism financing and proxy militias, it has simultaneously made a coherent negotiating partner harder to identify. Whether the remaining Iranian power centers can deliver a durable agreement—or whether further violence will unravel the ceasefire before it can be tested—remains the central uncertainty hanging over the region as diplomats race to prevent a return to full-scale war.