US strikes Iran again, official says, after Trump denies deal on Strait of Hormuz

The U.S. military carried out strikes in southern Iran on Wednesday, targeting an Iranian drone operation in Bandar Abbas that posed a threat to U.S. forces and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. A U.S. official confirmed the military shot down four Iranian attack drones and struck a ground control station, stating the actions were ‘measured, purely defensive, and intended to maintain the ceasefire’ that took effect in early April. Iranian media reported warning shots were fired at four vessels attempting to transit the strait early Thursday, forcing them to turn back. President Donald Trump rejected an Iranian state TV report claiming an unofficial draft agreement to restore commercial shipping through the strait within a month, with Iran and Oman jointly managing traffic. Trump stated no country would control the waterway, warning Oman would face consequences if it did not comply. ‘Nobody’s going to control it,’ he said. ‘It’s international waters, and Oman will behave just like everybody else or we’ll have to blow them up.’ The U.S. Treasury Department later sanctioned the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, an Iranian body overseeing passage through the strait, citing threats to U.S. national security. The Iranian TV report suggested the U.S. would lift its blockade of Iranian ports and withdraw military forces in exchange for the deal, but Trump’s comments and renewed military action indicated a widening gap between the two nations. Ebrahim Azizi, head of Iran’s parliament’s national security committee, dismissed Trump’s threats, stating Iran would not back down from demands to enrich uranium, control the strait, and lift sanctions. The three-month-old conflict, which began on February 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes, has killed thousands and disrupted global energy markets, with oil prices surging after the latest strikes. The Strait of Hormuz, critical for global oil and gas trade, handled a fifth of the world’s traffic before the war. The U.S. military had previously conducted strikes in southern Iran on Monday, which Iran condemned as a ‘gross violation’ of the ceasefire. Despite White House suggestions of an imminent deal, the latest actions underscore ongoing tensions and unresolved disputes.