US and Iran Exchange Fire in Strait of Hormuz; Trump Claims Ceasefire Still in Effect
On May 8, 2026, the United States and Iran exchanged fire in the Strait of Hormuz, with both sides accusing each other of breaking the ceasefire. The United Arab Emirates responded to Iranian missile and drone attacks, engaging the threats with its air defenses. President Donald Trump asserted the ceasefire remained intact despite the hostilities.
Where Sources Diverge
France24 reported that the UAE responded to fresh missile and drone attacks by Iran, while the US claimed three of its destroyers were targeted.
The UAE says it's responded to fresh missile and drone attacks by Iran this Friday. The strikes come hours after the US says three of its navy destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz were targeted.
The United Arab Emirates said its air defences were engaging missile and drone threats from Iran early on in a further test of the shaky, month-long ceasefire between the US and Iran.
The Guardian and Dawn reported that Iran accused the US of targeting an oil tanker and attacking civilian areas, while the US claimed it targeted Iranian military sites in retaliation.
Iran has accused the US of violating the ceasefire by targeting two ships at the strait of Hormuz and attacking civilian areas with the US insisting it struck in retaliation.
Iran's military said the US targeted two ships entering the Strait of Hormuz and carried out strikes on Iranian territory.
The NYT and BBC reported that Trump dismissed the attacks as a 'trifle' and claimed the ceasefire was intact, while the Guardian and Dawn reported that Trump suggested ongoing negotiations with Iran remained on track.
The president dismissed Iran’s firing on U.S. vessels in the strait as a mere 'trifle.'
Trump said the US-Iran ceasefire still in place after exchange of fire in Strait of Hormuz.
Trump suggested ongoing talks with Tehran remained on track despite Thursday’s hostilities.
Trump urged negotiated end to war.
Timelines
Sources
The United Arab Emirates says it's responded to fresh missile and drone attacks by Iran this Friday. The strikes come hours after the US says three of its navy destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz were targeted. President Donald Trump ordered retaliatory strikes - but then downplayed the hostilities and said the ceasefire still stands. Analysis by Douglas Herbert, FRANCE 24 international affairs commentator.
Donald Trump insists ceasefire remains intact after the most serious test yet. Plus, David Attenborough’s 100 most spectacular moments Good morning. The US and Iran traded fire late on Thursday in the greatest test so far to their month-long ceasefire. Tehran accused Washington of breaching the truce by targeting two ships in the strait of Hormuz and attacking civilian areas, while the US said it struck in retaliation. Where were negotiations up to before the strikes? There were reports the two sides could be nearing an agreement to halt the war, with a one-page memorandum shared between Washington and Tehran, via Pakistan. Here is a rundown of the ins and outs over the past week. What happened to Trump’s “Project Freedom”? The US plan to guide tankers through the strait of Hormuz was ditched just days after it was launched, apparently because Saudi Arabia refused to let the US use its bases and airspace to carry out the operation. Follow our liveblog for the latest developments. How has the redistricting affected the sway of Black voters? Each now contains a third of the city’s Black voters, which means all nine of Tennessee’s congressional districts now lean Republican. Continue reading...
The Iran war's shaky ceasefire was further strained on Friday as the United Arab Emirates responded to a missile and drone strikes.
A new exchange of fire between Iran and the US occurred late Thursday night in the Strait of Hormuz, with both countries accusing each other of firing first. The latest by Simon Moritz.
Iran accuses US of breaching ceasefire near Hormuz as CENTCOM says forces responded to Iranian attacks.
The United States and Iran exchanged fire on Thursday in the most serious test yet of their month-long ceasefire, but Iran said the situation returned to normal while the US said it did not want to escalate. The renewed hostilities broke out as Washington was awaiting Iran’s response to a US proposal that would stop the fighting but leave the most contentious issues, such as Iran’s nuclear programme, unresolved for now. Iran’s military said the US targeted two ships entering the Strait of Hormuz and carried out strikes on Iranian territory. The US military said it fired in response to Iranian attacks. Trump told reporters the ceasefire was still in effect and sought to play down the exchange. “They trifled with us today. We blew them away,” Trump said, while inspecting renovations to the Lincoln Memorial’s reflecting pool in Washington. Meanwhile, Iran’s top joint military command accused the US of violating the ceasefire by targeting an Iranian oil tanker and another ship, and of carrying out air attacks on civilian areas on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz and the nearby coastal areas of Bandar Khamir and Sirik on the mainland. The military said it responded by attacking US military vessels east of the strait and south of the port of Chabahar. A spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said the Iranian strikes inflicted “significant damage,” but US Central Command said none of its assets were hit. Centcom said Iran had used missiles, drones and small boats in the attack, which targeted three Navy destroyers. The US said it targeted missile and drone sites and other locations in response. “Centcom does not seek escalation but remains positioned and ready to protect American forces,” it said in a statement. Iran also said it would respond if attacked. “(The) US and its allies must know that Iran will respond forcefully and without the slightest hesitation to any act of aggression or attack,” the military spokesperson said, according to state television. Iran’s Press TV later reported that, following several hours of fire, “the situation on Iranian islands and coastal cities by the Strait of Hormuz is back to normal now”. The two sides have occasionally exchanged gunfire since the ceasefire took effect on April 7. On Monday, the US military said it destroyed six Iranian small boats and intercepted Iranian cruise missiles and drones as Tehran sought to thwart a U.S. naval effort to open shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump urges negotiated end to war Trump suggested ongoing talks with Tehran remained on track despite Thursday’s hostilities, telling reporters, “We’re negotiating with the Iranians.” Before the latest strikes, the US had floated a proposal that would formally end the conflict but did not address key US demands that Iran suspend its nuclear work and reopen the strait, which before the war handled one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supply. Tehran said it had not yet reached a conclusion on the emerging plan. Even so, Trump said Iran had acknowledged his demand that Iran could never get a nuclear weapon, a prohibition he said was spelled out in the US proposal. “There’s zero chance. And they know that, and they’ve agreed to that. Let’s see if they are willing to sign it,” Trump said. Asked when any deal might be reached, Trump said, “It might not happen, but it could happen any day. I believe they want to deal more than I do.” Answering a question about Project Freedom, Trump also said that Pakistan asked the US “not to do it”. “Pakistan has been fantastic. Their leaders have been fantastic; the field marshal and the prime minister,” he said. “We’ll go back to it if we have to. They asked us not to do it during the negotiations,” he said.
The Ministry advised residents not to approach, photograph or touch “any debris or fragments that have fallen as a result of successful air interceptions”
US ally the United Arab Emirates said its air defences were engaging missile and drone threats from Iran early on in a further test of the shaky, month-long ceasefire between the US and Iran.
US and Iranian forces clashed in the Gulf and the United Arab Emirates came under renewed attack, but President Donald Trump said a ceasefire was still holding despite the flare-up.
The president dismissed Iran’s firing on U.S. vessels in the strait as a mere “trifle.”
Iran accuses the US of violating the truce, alleging it targeted an oil tanker and carried out attacks on coastal areas.
Donald Trump dismissed the attacks and said that the United States is negotiating with Iran
On Friday, the US and Iran accused each other of breaking a fragile ceasefire after clashes in the Strait of Hormuz. Washington said it struck Iranian military targets following an attack on US destroyers, while Tehran claimed US forces attacked first, raising fears of renewed escalation in the region. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.
US military claims it targeted sites responsible for attacks on its forces and ‘unprovoked’ hostilities by Tehran Iran has accused the US of violating the ceasefire by targeting two ships at the strait of Hormuz and attacking civilian areas with the US insisting it struck in retaliation. The US military said it targeted sites that it said were responsible for attacking US forces in what it called “unprovoked” hostilities by Tehran. Continue reading...