The fragile calm in Middle East appears to be crumbling. The U.S. announced military strikes against Iran, and shortly thereafter, the Revolutionary Guards responded with attacks on areas where U.S. forces are stationed in the Persian Gulf.

The new crisis erupted following an attack on a merchant ship sailing through the Strait of Hormuz. Specifically, Washington accused Tehran of being behind the incident. Conversely, Iran maintains that the U.S. violated its commitments and warns that any new operation will provoke even stronger retaliation.

This particular incident takes on special significance, as it marks the first serious military confrontation since the recent memorandum of understanding that paved the way for safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and the resumption oftalks on Iran’s nuclear program.

CENTCOM announced the U.S. strikes

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that U.S. forces carried out an operation against Iranian military facilities yesterday (June 26), describing it as a direct response to the attack on the merchant ship M/V Ever Lovely.

According to the statement, U.S. aircraft struck storage facilities drones and coastal radar systems.

Washington claims that the attack on the merchant ship violated the ceasefire and endangered freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most important maritimein the world.

Meanwhile, CENTCOM has confirmed that it continues to escort and protect commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, while U.S. forces remain on full operational alert.

The Revolutionary Guards responded with retaliatory measures

Tehran’s reaction was expected to be immediate. The Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) announced via Iranian media that their navy had carried out strikes in areas where U.S. forces are deployed.

However, the announcement does not include details about the locations that were struck or the outcome of the operation. It does, however, make clear that the attacks were carried out in response to the U.S. strikes.

Meanwhile, the IRGC accused the United States of “as always, violating its commitments”, claiming that Washington had breached the terms of the recent memorandum of understanding regarding the Strait of Hormuz.

The Revolutionary Guards also warned: “If the aggression is repeated, our response will be more extensive.”

A little earlier, Iranian state television had reported that an “immediate and decisive” response to the U.S. strikes was imminent.

At the same time, Iranian media reported that the country’s forces had repelled an attack in the Sirik area, near the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran warns of further escalation

The already tense situation was exacerbated by statements from Iranian military official Ibrahim al-Fikar, a spokesperson for the Central Command “Hatem al-Anbiya”.

He warned that: “Tehran’s response this time will be unprecedented”.

This military command coordinates both the regular armed forces and the Revolutionary Guards, a fact that lends particular weight to the statements.

At the same time, Iranian media reported that a missile struck an area near a pier in the city of Sirik, while reports emerged of warning shots fired at ships that, according to Tehran, were violating the permitted limits in the Strait of Hormuz.

Strong message from Jay D. Vance

On the American side, Vice President Jay D. Vance sent a clear message to Iran through a post on the X platform.

He claimed that Tehran signed a ceasefire agreement, which the United States has honored.

As he stated: “If they have disagreements regarding how to implement the memorandum of understanding, they can pick up the phone. But violence will be met with violence.”

Trump: “A flagrant violation of the ceasefire”

U.S. President, Donald Trump, accused Iran of violating the ceasefire, claiming that an Iranian drone attacked a merchant ship sailing through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a post on the Truth Social platform, the U.S. president stated that Iran launched at least four attack drones against ships passing through the strategically important waterway. According to him, one of the drones struck the upper deck of a large cargo ship, causing property damage.

“This is clearly a foolish violation of the ceasefire agreement,”, Trump wrote, adding that U.S. forces shot down the remaining three drones. As he stated, the ship sustained damage, but continued its journey as normal.

Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz remain high, as Iran considers control of this sea lane to be an important bargaining chip. Just a few days ago, the Revolutionary Guards had warned that ships would only be allowed to pass safely through routes to be notified to the Iranian authorities.

Although the agreement between Washington and Tehran provides for the restoration of commercial shipping to pre-conflict levels, it does not clearly define the terms of its implementation.

A key point of contention remains the issue of transit fees. Donald Trump insists that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open without tolls, while Tehran maintains that it reserves the right to charge fees to commercial ships passing through.

At the same time, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed that a cargo ship sustained damage to its starboard side and bridge from an unknown projectile, though there were no injuries and no marine pollution was reported.