US and Iran Exchange Fire Near Hormuz; Trump Says Ceasefire Holds
US Central Command said its forces intercepted “unprovoked Iranian attacks” and responded with self-defence strikes near the Strait of Hormuz on Friday. Explosions were reported on Qeshm Island and near Bandar Abbas; Iran’s internet blackout entered its 70th day. Iran’s foreign ministry accused Washington of violating the April ceasefire. President Trump insisted the truce was “still in effect” and that the US still awaited Tehran’s formal response on the peace proposal.
The Hormuz exchange is the most dangerous development since the April ceasefire, but both sides are taking care not to characterise it as a full breakdown. CENTCOM’s “self-defence” framing and Iran’s “ceasefire violation” framing are symmetrical: each side denies it started the escalation. The diplomatic consequence depends on whether Tehran treats the exchange as a reason to delay or accelerate its formal response. Brent rose 0.5% on the news but did not breach $103, suggesting markets read the exchange as a contained event rather than a breakdown signal. Pakistan’s mediation channel reportedly remained active through the afternoon.