A US fighter jet struck two Iranian tankers on Friday as Washington intensified efforts to keep into attach a maritime blockade reach the Strait of Hormuz, while awaiting Tehran’s response to a proposed extension of the Gulf ceasefire.
US Central Expose acknowledged an F/A-18 Natty Hornet used precision-guided munitions to disable the vessels and discontinuance them from reaching Iranian territory. Iranian notify media later reported “sporadic clashes” keen US naval forces in the strategic waterway.
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Primarily the most recent incidents came after an in a single day exchange of fireside that triggered fears of a breakdown in the Gulf ceasefire, and after US Secretary of Train Marco Rubio told newshounds in Rome that Washington hoped to rating Tehran’s reply to the US proposal later on Friday.
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— U.S. Central Expose (@CENTCOM) Would possibly possibly well perchance also merely 8, 2026
Washington awaits Iran’s response to truce proposal
US Secretary of Train Marco Rubio acknowledged Washington expected Tehran to acknowledge later on Friday to a proposal geared in direction of extending the present truce and paving the means for broader negotiations.
Talking to newshounds in Rome, Rubio reiterated that the US would now no longer internet Iranian management over the Strait of Hormuz, view to be one of many world’s most serious oil shipping lanes.
“We’re looking ahead to a response from them lately in the future,” Rubio acknowledged. “I’m hoping it’s a serious provide.”
Iran’s international ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei acknowledged Friday that the proposal used to be serene “beneath overview, and once a final decision is reached, this may absolutely be announced”, in line with the ISNA news agency.
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Two Saudi sources, meanwhile, told AFP the dominion had refused to enable the US militia to use its airspace or bases for an operation to power starting up a passage for commercial shipping in the strategic strait.
‘They trifled with us’
The night time sooner than, US Central Expose acknowledged Iran had launched missiles, drones and small boats at three US warships transiting the Hormuz, but that none had been hit and American forces had destroyed the incoming threats and retaliated against land bases in Iran.
Iran’s central militia tell, Khatam al-Anbiya, countered that the conflict had erupted when US vessels targeted an Iranian tanker heading in direction of the strait, and accused its foe of hitting civilian areas.
The strikes hit Bandar Khamir and Sirik – cities on the Iranian facet of the strait – moreover to Qeshm island, it acknowledged, alleging that the attack used to be utilized with the cooperation of “some regional international locations”.
Baqaei accused the US of a “blatant violation of world legislation and a breach of the ceasefire”, but acknowledged Iranian forces had “delivered a ‘major slap’ to the enemy”.
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Asked in Washington on Thursday if the ceasefire with Iran used to be serene in attain after the conflict, US President Donald Trump acknowledged: “Yeah, it’s some distance. They trifled with us lately. We blew them away.”
Iran did now no longer name the regional US allies it accused of cooperating with the strikes, even though the United Arab Emirates acknowledged it had been compelled to intercept a volley of Iranian drones and missiles.
“The UAE air defence methods engaged two ballistic missiles and three UAVs launched from Iran, ensuing in three real looking injuries,” the Emirates’ defence ministry posted on X.
Following the originate of the warfare on February 28, Iran has largely closed the Strait of Hormuz, with the US later imposing its own blockade of Iranian ports.
On Sunday, Trump announced “Challenge Freedom”, a US naval operation designed to reopen the strait to commercial shipping, most productive to abandon it on Tuesday in favour of a return to negotiations.
On Friday, Saudi sources told AFP – confirming US media studies – that the dominion had refused permission for the US militia to use its bases and airspace for the Hormuz operation.
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“Saudi Arabia used to be against the operation because it felt it would accurate escalate the topic and would now no longer work,” view to be one of them acknowledged.
‘System of sovereignty’
This week Tehran created an authority to approve transit by the Strait of Hormuz and to rating tolls from vessels, in line with leading shipping exchange journal Lloyd’s List.
Around 1,500 ships and 20,000 world crew are now trapped in the Gulf situation on yarn of the conflict, in line with the UN Global Maritime Group.
US Central Expose acknowledged Friday that its forces are stopping 70 tankers from entering or leaving Iranian ports.
World markets had perked up and oil costs fell this week on hopes that the Pakistani-mediated peace course of would delay the US-Iran ceasefire that began on April 8 and end result in a negotiated accord to entire the conflict.
But stock markets sank all all over again on Friday after the exchange in Hormuz, which fuelled fears that renewed stopping could perchance perchance delay or derail the reopening of the important thing maritime exchange route.
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With inputs from agencies
First Published:
Would possibly possibly well perchance also merely 08, 2026, 22:fifty three IST
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