Iran launches retaliatory strikes on US-linked targets in response to American attacks

Iran on Saturday launched a drone attack targeting Bahrain, and a tanker came under attack in the Strait of Hormuz, hours after the United States carried out airstrikes on Iranian military targets, marking the most serious escalation since the week-old US-Iran ceasefire came into force. Bahrain, home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, condemned what it described as an Iranian drone attack, while the British military said a commercial tanker was struck in the strategic waterway. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the tanker attack, though suspicion quickly fell on Iran, news agency Associated Press reported.

The latest attacks come after Iran said it had launched retaliatory strikes on US-linked targets in response to American airstrikes on missile, drone and coastal radar sites along Iran’s southern coast.

The US military attacked Iran in response to an Iranian drone strike on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, with each country accusing the other of violating terms of a ceasefire agreed last week https://t.co/Dud5OpZaoP pic.twitter.com/apaaAuNoPX

— Reuters (@Reuters) June 27, 2026

In a statement carried by Reuters, Iran’s foreign ministry accused Washington of violating both the UN Charter and the 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed last week to halt months of fighting and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran, however, did not identify the targets or disclose where the strikes took place.

The renewed violence threatens to derail negotiations aimed at reaching a permanent US-Iran agreement on Tehran’s nuclear programme, sanctions relief and regional security. It also raises fresh concerns over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly one-fifth of the world’s seaborne oil passes. For India, one of the world’s largest crude importers, any prolonged disruption in the waterway could affect oil supplies, freight costs and domestic fuel prices.

Iran widens retaliation

Iran’s paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had targeted several locations linked to what it called the “US terrorist army” in the region, though it did not specify the locations.

Separately, Bahrain’s foreign ministry said a “number of Iranian drones” had targeted the kingdom, calling the attack “a flagrant threat to the security of citizens and residents”. Bahrain has been among the Gulf countries most critical of Iran and hosts the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), operated by the British military, reported that a tanker had been attacked in the Strait of Hormuz. It said the crew was safe and there was no environmental damage. No one immediately claimed responsibility, but the attack came just two days after Iran targeted a cargo vessel off the coast of Oman.

US says Iran violated ceasefire

The United States launched strikes late Friday after accusing Iran of carrying out a drone attack on a commercial vessel attempting to leave the Strait of Hormuz a day earlier.

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US President Donald Trump said Tehran had violated the ceasefire. “I don’t like the fact that they took a shot yesterday, actually four of them,” Trump told reporters shortly before the operation.

US Central Command later said American forces struck Iranian missile launch sites, drone facilities and coastal radar installations. A US official told the Associated Press the operation lasted about an hour.

Vice President JD Vance later urged Tehran to return to diplomacy, saying Iran should “pick up the phone” if disagreements over the ceasefire emerged, while warning that “violence will be met with violence.”

6 questions  ·  Pick the best answer  ·  One attempt per question

Question 1 of 6 What did Iran's foreign ministry accuse the US of violating, alongside the UN Charter? A bilateral defence treaty signed in 2024 A 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) A UN Security Council resolution on maritime safety

📚 Iran's foreign ministry said Washington violated both the UN Charter and the 14-point MoU signed the previous week to halt months of fighting and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

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Question 2 of 6 Approximately what share of the world's seaborne oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz? One-third One-quarter Nearly one-fifth

📚 The Strait of Hormuz carries nearly a fifth (around 20%) of the world's seaborne oil, making it one of the most strategically vital waterways on the planet.

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Question 3 of 6 What event directly triggered the US airstrikes on Iranian targets on Friday? Iran shelling a US naval vessel in the Persian Gulf Iran's drone attack on a Singapore-flagged cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz Iran seizing a British oil tanker near Oman

📚 The US launched strikes after accusing Iran of conducting a drone attack on a cargo ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz — a move Washington said violated the ceasefire agreement.

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Question 4 of 6 How long did the US military operation targeting Iranian missile and drone sites take to complete? About three hours About an hour About 30 minutes

📚 A US official told the Associated Press that the operation — which struck Iranian missile launch sites, drone facilities and coastal radar installations — concluded within about an hour.

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Question 5 of 6 According to the International Maritime Organization, how many vessels were still waiting for safe passage through the Gulf after the latest escalation? Around 200 Around 350 Around 500

📚 The IMO reported that around 115 ships had exited the Gulf in recent days, while approximately 500 vessels remained in the region awaiting safer passage through the Strait.

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Question 6 of 6 How did Iran's parliamentary National Security Commission chairman Ebrahim Azizi describe Tehran's actions in the Strait of Hormuz? A justified military response to US provocation Ceasefire management Defensive maritime operations under international law

📚 Ebrahim Azizi wrote on social media that the Strait of Hormuz "is governed by Iran" and described Tehran's actions as "ceasefire management" rather than a violation of the truce agreement.

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Strait of Hormuz back under threat

The latest attacks have again put the Strait of Hormuz at the centre of the conflict after last week’s agreement had reopened the critical shipping lane.

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The International Maritime Organization had begun moving stranded vessels out of the Gulf through an alternative route near Oman’s coastline after the interim US-Iran agreement. However, those efforts were suspended after Thursday’s attack on a commercial ship.

Shipping analysts say confidence in the route has weakened again even though commercial traffic continues. Any sustained disruption could have global consequences because around 20% of the world’s seaborne crude oil passes through the strait.

Lebanon ceasefire remains fragile

The escalation also comes as diplomatic efforts continue in Lebanon, where Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a fragile ceasefire framework after months of fighting.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israeli forces will remain in a security zone in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah no longer poses a threat. Lebanon has described the framework as an important step towards restoring stability, though sporadic violence continues.

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What happens next?

Saturday’s attacks represent the biggest challenge yet to the fragile US-Iran ceasefire and the 60-day roadmap agreed by both countries. Negotiators are still expected to pursue talks on Iran’s nuclear programme and sanctions relief, but the latest military exchanges, coupled with renewed attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, have significantly raised the risk that the interim agreement could unravel before a final deal is reached.

(With inputs from Reuters and AP)