Trump Says Ceasefire Holds After US-Iran Strait of Hormuz Fire Exchange

US President Donald Trump said Friday a ceasefire is still in place between the US and Iran after both sides exchanged fire late Thursday night in the Strait of Hormuz. It was unclear who fired first.

Iran's top military command alleged the US targeted an Iranian oil tanker and another vessel approaching the strait and carried out aerial attacks on several coastal areas, including Bandar Khamir, Sirik and Qeshm Island. Iranian state media initially reported explosions in the strait as an exchange of fire with the enemy. Local media reported explosions heard in Tehran.

The command said it responded immediately by attacking US military vessels and inflicting significant damage. It accused the US of violating the ceasefire.

The US Central Command described the Iranian attacks as unprovoked. Iranian forces launched multiple missiles, drones and small boats as US Navy guided-missile destroyers transited the strait, Centcom said.

Centcom said it eliminated inbound threats and targeted Iranian military facilities responsible for attacking US forces, including missile and drone launch sites, command and control locations, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance nodes. "Centcom does not seek escalation but remains positioned and ready to protect American forces," the statement said.

Trump posted on Truth Social that the US had destroyed multiple small boats that "dropped ever so beautifully down to the Ocean, very much like a butterfly dropping to its grave!" "Great damage" was done to the Iranian attackers, he said.

The US president reiterated a warning over the peace deal. "Just like we knocked them out again today, we'll knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently, in the future, if they don't get their Deal signed, FAST!"

The flare-up came a day after Iran's foreign ministry said it was considering a US proposal to end the war. US news outlet Axios reported the White House believes it could be closing in on a 14-point memorandum of understanding with Iran to set a framework for nuclear negotiations.

On Wednesday, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said Tehran would share its views with Pakistani mediators. Pakistan's foreign minister said his country was endeavouring to convert the ceasefire into a permanent end to the war.

A senior member of Iran's parliament dismissed the 14-point memorandum as a wish list. Iranian parliament national security and foreign policy commission spokesman Ebrahim Rezaei wrote on X that Iran has its finger on the trigger and would deliver a harsh and regret-inducing response if the US did not surrender and grant necessary conditions.

In a Truth Social post on May 6, Trump wrote that if Iran did not agree to a deal, the bombing starts, and it will be at a much higher level and intensity than before.

Trump said the war in Iran will be over quickly. He said Operation Epic Fury, the initial US-Israeli offensive in Iran, would end assuming Iran agrees to what has been agreed to. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had said the operation was over and achieved its objectives.

Trump said Iran agreed to never have a nuclear weapon among other things, a claim not confirmed by Tehran. Iran's nuclear program has been a key sticking point.

An Israeli source told the BBC there was no Israeli involvement in the latest attacks.

Both sides have threatened escalation if their conditions for a peace deal are not met.