The latest confrontation occurred as the United States awaited Iran’s response to its proposed peace plan. However, the two sides remain divided on several issues, including demands for Iran to abandon any nuclear-related activities linked to the development of weapons of mass destruction — a condition Tehran strongly opposes.
Iran’s military stated that the United States fired at a vessel entering the Strait of Hormuz and also carried out strikes on Iranian territory. Washington, on the other hand, said it was responding to attacks launched by Iran.
Despite the exchange of fire, President Donald Trump said the ceasefire still held and attempted to calm the situation.
“They tried to play games with us today, but we struck back hard,” Trump said.
Iranian forces accused the United States of violating the ceasefire by attacking Iranian oil vessels and launching airstrikes on civilians on Qeshm Island in Hormuz, as well as in nearby coastal areas including Bandar Khamir and Sirik. Iran said it retaliated by targeting American vessels before later announcing that the situation had stabilized.
A spokesperson for the Iranian military said, “The United States and its allies must understand that Iran will fully and firmly respond to any attack against it.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, said Iran used missiles, drones, and small boats to attack U.S. naval vessels, prompting retaliatory strikes.
“CENTCOM does not seek escalation, but it will always remain prepared to defend U.S. forces,” the command said.
On May 4, 2026, the United States reportedly destroyed six small Iranian boats. Iran had allegedly been attempting to disrupt American operations aimed at securing maritime routes in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has now spent more than two months in a war launched against it by the United States in coordination with Israel. The conflict has caused extensive destruction, including the deaths of senior Iranian leaders such as Ali Khamenei.
Iran subsequently closed the Strait of Hormuz, triggering a sharp rise in global oil prices. In some markets, crude oil prices surpassed $126 per barrel for the first time since 2022, when the Russia-Ukraine war began.
However, prices have declined over the past two days, with crude oil falling to around $97 per barrel, partly due to reports that the United States had sent Iran a proposal aimed at ending the war.
