The U.S. military said on Thursday that after Iran fired missiles, drones, and small boats toward three American destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. forces launched strikes against Iranian military targets, further undermining a fragile ceasefire that had lasted for a month. The U.S. Central Command stated that American forces intercepted and destroyed incoming threats, before targeting Iranian missile and drone launch sites, command and control facilities, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance nodes. In response, Iran's military accused the United States of violating the ceasefire the previous day by firing at an Iranian oil tanker en route to the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that Iran’s attack on U.S. warships was a retaliatory measure. However, Trump said late Thursday that the U.S.-Iran ceasefire "remains in effect," while simultaneously warning that if Iran does not agree to a peaceful solution, the U.S. will take further action. Earlier in the day, he confirmed on social media that fighting had occurred between both sides in the Strait of Hormuz, stating that the three U.S. destroyers had departed the strait after being attacked but sustained no damage, and that U.S. forces "easily shot down" incoming missiles and destroyed drones in mid-air. This confrontation unfolded as U.S. and Iranian officials were reportedly discussing plans to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1864597817311243/
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