Trump slams Iran’s attack on ship in Hormuz as ‘foolish violation’ of ceasefire

UK Maritime Trade Operations also reported structural damage to the bridge but said no crew members were injured.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

President Donald Trump on Friday accused Iran of violating the ceasefire after what US officials said was an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps strike on a Singapore-flagged merchant vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz, calling the attack “foolish” and warning that additional Iranian drones had been intercepted.

In a Truth Social post, President Trump wrote, “The Islamic Republic of Iran shot at least four One Way Attack Drones at Ships transversing the Strait of Hormuz.”

Two senior US officials told The Wall Street Journal that the vessel was struck Thursday while operating near Oman’s coastline.

The attack came hours after Iran’s paramilitary navy instructed commercial vessels to avoid sea lanes through the strategic waterway unless they had Tehran’s approval.

The officials said the strike damaged the ship’s bridge, which houses its navigation, communications and command systems. UK Maritime Trade Operations also reported structural damage to the bridge but said no crew members were injured.

President Trump described the incident in a subsequent Truth Social post, writing, “Damage was done, but the Ship was able to proceed on its way. We knocked down three other Drones. Obviously, this is a foolish violation of our Ceasefire Agreement.”

Iran has not responded directly to the accusation, although Iranian state media reported President Trump’s remarks.

The incident posed a significant challenge to the US-Iran agreement signed in mid-June, which commits both sides to keeping the Strait of Hormuz open to international shipping.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the White House declined to comment on the attack.

Iran’s warning to commercial shipping had been issued only hours before the vessel was targeted.

Tehran instructed ships to avoid transit routes through the strait unless they had been specifically authorized by the Iranian government.

During the weekend, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz after demanding an end to Israeli military operations in Lebanon. The latest strike occurred after that closure despite provisions in the agreement calling for the waterway to remain open.

The International Maritime Organization said the Singapore-flagged cargo ship targeted in the attack was not participating in the evacuation program.

Before the regional conflict that began this spring, the Strait of Hormuz handled approximately 20% of the world’s oil and gas shipments, and disruptions to traffic through the passage have caused sharp fluctuations in global oil prices.