Another round of fighting in the Strait of Hormuz has brought the fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran closer than ever to collapse.
The escalation began over the night of May 7 and 8, with Iran accusing the U.S. of violating the ceasefire by targeting two ships near the waterway. The Islamic Republic also said that other strikes targeted civilian areas along the coasts of Bandar Khamir, Sirik, and Qeshm Island.
The response came quickly from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, which attacked several warships of the U.S. Navy in what it described as a “very large-scale and precise combined operation.”
The U.S. Central Command confirmed that three guided-missile destroyers — the USS Truxtun, the USS Rafael Peralta, and the USS Mason — were targeted, but claimed that none of the warships was hit. It also said that strikes were launched in response.
Later, the command confirmed that U.S. forces disabled the tankers Sea Star III and Sevda, prior to both vessels entering an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman.
Also on May 8, the United Arab Emirates said that three people were injured following a wave of Iranian strikes. Emirate air defense systems engaged two ballistic missiles and three drones. The target was reportedly Dubai International Airport.
On May 9, the IRGC Navy warned the U.S. and its allies, saying that any attack on Iranian tankers or commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf or beyond will trigger a heavy and decisive response.
The very next day, the UAE said that its air defenses shot down two drones launched from Iran. Kuwait also announced that its air defenses responded to “a number of hostile drones.”
On May 11, U.S. President Donald Trump made it clear that he was not pleased with a proposal submitted by Iran over the weekend, declaring the ceasefire is on “life support.”
Reports from the next day, May 12, revealed that the U.S. has already picked up a new codename — Operation Sledgehammer — in case war with Iran resumes. The new codename would effectively restart the 60-day clock requiring congressional authorization for war.
All recent developments suggest that the war between the U.S. and Iran could resume at any moment. Israel is guaranteed to join in again, and there have been signs that some Gulf states — namely the UAE — could also act openly against the Islamic Republic.
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