Tensions between the United States and Iran are escalating once again, just a day after U.S. President Donald Trump claimed he could reach an agreement with Iran on ending the war before his summit with China next week. Reports emerged that the U.S. military had struck Iranian territory near the Strait of Hormuz, and the Iranian military protested that the United States had violated the ceasefire. There are also reports that the United States is considering resuming "Project Freedom," an operation to evacuate commercial vessels stranded near the Strait of Hormuz.
Fox News reported Friday, citing a senior U.S. government official, that "the U.S. military struck Iran's Qeshm port and Bandar Abbas," adding that "this does not signal a resumption of war." Qeshm port and Bandar Abbas are Iranian territories located in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. military later said it "struck Iranian military facilities including missile and drone bases in self-defense."
Earlier, Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency reported that explosions were heard in the southern city of Bandar Abbas and the nearby Qeshm Island area in the Strait of Hormuz. A source also said two unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down in Bandar Abbas.
Iran's state-run IRIB broadcaster claimed that "the U.S. military attacked an Iranian oil tanker, after which enemy forces in the Strait of Hormuz were hit by Iranian missile strikes, suffered damage, and retreated." According to Reuters, an Iranian military spokesperson warned that "the United States violated the ceasefire agreement and attacked Iranian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz," adding, "We will respond forcefully to any attack." Iranian Armed Forces Chief Commander Amir Hatami also wrote on X, formerly Twitter, "They will regret this."
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported the same day that Saudi Arabia and Kuwait had reversed their decision to suspend U.S. military aircraft access to their airspace, a move that had halted the Liberation Project. NBC had previously reported that Saudi leadership was angered by the U.S. announcement of the Liberation Project and, in response, suspended U.S. military base and airspace access needed to carry out the operation.
"With the barriers that had blocked the Liberation Project removed, the Trump administration is considering resuming the operation as early as this week," the WSJ reported, citing a U.S. Defense Department official.
