Trump Accuses Iran of 'Foolish' Ceasefire Violation

President Trump accused Iran of a "foolish" ceasefire violation on Friday, a day after a Singapore-flagged ship was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, halting efforts to get vessels through the strait on a UN-approved route near the coast of Oman. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the ship was hit by an Iranian drone and the US shot down three others.

• "The Islamic Republic of Iran shot at least four One Way Attack Drones at Ships transversing the Strait of Hormuz," Trump said. "One of the Drones solidly hit the upper deck of a large and very expensive Cargo Carrying Ship. 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."

Earlier Friday, Tehran reiterated its claim to manage traffic through the chokepoint and to levy fees on vessels passing through, Reuters reports. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi warned on X that safe passage "cannot be guaranteed" under "ambiguous arrangements, parallel routes, or decision-making" that sidelines Iran. State TV said three foreign tankers were turned back by the Revolutionary Guard after "unauthorized" attempts to cross.

• The pushback came in response to a joint statement from the US and six Gulf countries rejecting tolls and demanding "free, unconditional, and unrestricted navigation." The statement followed a meeting between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Gulf Cooperation Council. Iran blasted the statement as "interventionist, irresponsible, and provocative."

• Trump has previously threatened renewed bombing if Tehran doesn't fully reopen the waterway. The standoff is testing a fragile interim US-Iran agreement that also touches on Iran's nuclear program and Israel's conflict with Hezbollah, where Israeli leaflets dropped Friday ordering evacuations in southern Lebanon underscored how unsettled that front remains, reports Reuters.
• Markets appear to have shrugged off concerns about fresh trouble in the strait, with oil prices now back to prewar levels. Allen Good at research firm Morningstar says it would take something "much more meaningful" than an attack on one ship to send prices skyrocketing again, the New York Times reports. "The market continues to look through these flare-ups as it perceives Trump and the Iranians as ultimately committed to a near-term deal and the opening of the strait," Good says.