The United States military initiated a new series of strikes against various targets within Iran on June 27. This operation was launched after Tehran allegedly conducted an attack using a drone against a commercial oil tanker traversing the Strait of Hormuz, according to reports from U.S. Central Command.
CENTCOM officials stated that this latest military action was prompted by an incident at approximately 4:30 a.m. ET Saturday, where Iranian forces used an attack drone to strike the Panama-flagged tanker M/T Kiku. At the time of the attack, the vessel was transporting more than 2 million barrels of crude oil near the strategic strait.
According to the military, Iran had been provided an opportunity to uphold the existing ceasefire agreement following U.S. retaliatory strikes carried out a day earlier. However, the command noted that Iran chose not to do so following the latest aggression against shipping vessels. In direct response, American aircraft targeted several military sites, which included communication systems, surveillance infrastructure, air defense installations, drone storage facilities, and minelayer capabilities.
President Donald Trump issued a statement on June 27 confirming that U.S. aircraft had struck Iranian coastal radar sites as well as drone and missile storage locations. He also provided a stern warning regarding future violations of the ceasefire agreement. In a message shared on Truth Social, Trump stated that there may come a point when the U.S. can no longer be reasonable and will be forced to militarily finish the job that it started, further warning that if that occurs, the Islamic Republic of Iran would no longer exist.
CENTCOM confirmed that the operation on Saturday was executed under the direction of the Commander in Chief and served as a direct response to the persistent Iranian attacks on commercial shipping. While the command noted that transit through the Strait of Hormuz continues, it emphasized that U.S. forces remain ready, lethal, and vigilant.
These actions followed military engagements on June 26, when American aircraft targeted Iranian radar and storage facilities after Iran attacked the Singapore-flagged cargo vessel M/V Ever Lovely in the same waterway. Following the earlier strike, President Trump characterized the attack by Iran as a foolish violation of the ceasefire, while Vice President JD Vance emphasized that the United States had honored the agreement, cautioning that violence would be met with further violence.
Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency reported on June 27 that a tanker sustained bridge damage after being struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, although all crew members remained unharmed. Consequently, the Joint Maritime Information Center has increased its maritime security threat level. The Strait of Hormuz continues to be a critical point of tension, as repeated attacks threaten ongoing efforts to maintain normal commercial shipping traffic amid the broader conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
