The United States military announced Thursday that it intercepted Iranian attacks targeting three Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz and responded with strikes against Iranian military facilities responsible for the assault. The confrontation represents a dangerous escalation in tensions that have gripped the strategic waterway for months.
U.S. Central Command reported that Navy destroyers came under "unprovoked Iranian attacks" while transiting the strait on Thursday. American forces successfully intercepted the attacks and no ships were hit, according to the military's social media statement. The command emphasized that while the United States does not seek escalation, it "remains positioned and ready to protect American forces."
Iranian state media confirmed that the country's armed forces exchanged fire with "the enemy" on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. The island, which houses approximately 150,000 residents and a water desalination plant, is the largest Iranian island in the Persian Gulf. Reports also emerged of loud noises and defensive fire in western Tehran, while explosions were heard near Bandar Abbas in southern Iran, according to the semiofficial Fars and Tasnim news agencies.
The military confrontation occurred against the backdrop of ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the conflict that began February 28, when the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran. A tenuous ceasefire has largely held since April 8, though in-person talks hosted by Pakistan last month failed to produce an agreement.
Earlier Thursday, shipping data company Lloyd's List Intelligence reported that Iran has established a new government agency to vet and tax vessels seeking passage through the Strait of Hormuz. The Persian Gulf Strait Authority is positioning itself as the sole authority to grant permission for ships transiting the waterway, raising significant concerns about international shipping freedom and maritime law.
Maritime law experts assert that Iran's demands to vet or tax vessels violate international law. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea requires countries to permit peaceful passage through their territorial waters. Hundreds of commercial ships remain bottled up in the Persian Gulf, unable to reach the open sea, as Iran effectively controls the strait while the United States blockades Iranian ports.
The disruptions have sent fuel prices skyrocketing and rattled the global economy, as the strait serves as a vital waterway for shipments of oil, gas, fertilizer, and other petroleum products. The United States and its Gulf allies are pushing for a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Iran's control over the strait and threatening sanctions, though a prior resolution was vetoed by Russia and China.
On the diplomatic front, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the Islamic Republic is reviewing messages from Pakistan, which is mediating peace negotiations. However, Iran "has not yet reached a conclusion, and no response has been given to the U.S. side," according to Iranian state television.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke by phone Thursday with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi. Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi expressed optimism, stating, "We expect an agreement sooner rather than later." Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Islamabad remains in "continuous contact with Iran and the United States, day and night, to stop the war and extend the ceasefire."
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed Middle East peace efforts at the Vatican with Pope Leo XIV, whose opposition to the Iran war has led to public disagreements with President Donald Trump. The Trump administration has sent mixed messages regarding its strategy to end the conflict, with previous declarations that military operations were over giving way to new threats of bombing if Tehran does not accept a deal allowing resumption of disrupted oil and natural gas shipments.
President Trump suspended an attempt by the U.S. military to open safe passage for commercial ships through the strait, stating the pause would allow more time to reach a peace agreement. A Saudi official revealed Thursday that the kingdom refused to support the effort, known as Project Freedom, and did not permit the use of its territories and bases for the operation. Trump suspended the initiative during its second day Tuesday after only two American-flagged merchant ships passed through the U.S.-guarded route.
In other regional developments, direct talks between Israel and Lebanon are scheduled to resume next week in Washington, according to a U.S. official. The closed-door meetings will be held May 14 and 15.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reported meeting recently for more than two hours with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has remained in hiding since being wounded early in the war. In remarks aired Thursday on Iranian state television, Pezeshkian praised the supreme leader's "sincere" behavior during what he described as a lengthy in-person meeting. Khamenei has only released written statements since being named supreme leader in March, replacing his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the war's initial strikes.
