As the United Arab Emirates (UAE) activated its air defence systems to intercept a barrage of drones and projectiles fired from Iran, US President Donald Trump downplayed the escalation of hostilities, saying that the ceasefire in the Middle East still holds. In an incident at the Strait of Hormuz, the US military’s Central Command said it thwarted attacks on three Navy ships and retaliated against Iranian military facilities.
“Iranian forces launched several missiles, drones and small boats as US vessels passed through the international maritime passage,” the US military said, adding it struck Iranian military facilities responsible for attacking US forces, including missile and drone launch sites, command and control sites, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance facilities.
Detailing the engagement in a statement, CENTCOM continued that it responded late Thursday “for the first time” since the start of the strikes in Iran.
A U.S. Sailor signals as an EA-18G Growler takes off from the flight deck of USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). Bush is operating with more than 20 U.S. warships enforcing the blockade against Iran. pic.twitter.com/zAqTwjAJlN
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) May 7, 2026
“Our forces intercepted Iranian attacks and responded to attacks against US destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz. The forces struck Iranian military facilities in self-defence,” the US forces stressed. “We are not interested in escalation, but are prepared to defend our forces,” the statement added.
(US CENTCOM says American naval forces intercepted Iranian UAVs and “no US assets were struck.” Credit: CENTCOM.)
Trump’s Response to Fire Exchange, Escalation at Hormuz Waterway
In a phone call with a reporter for ABC, US President Trump called the retaliatory strikes against Iran “just a love tap.” He told the reporter that the Iran ceasefire is holding and a deal could come “any day.” Trump said that Iran and the US are still working on the proposal to “end the conflict”, adding that the US offer was “more extensive” than the one-page offer as Iranian officials review the messages from Washington.
Trump reiterated his threats of bombing Tehran if the West Asian country did not accept a deal and allow the resumption of oil and natural gas commercial shipment through the vital Strait of Hormuz. “We’ll knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently”, Trump warned after CENTCOM stated that it destroyed Iranian attackers and launched retaliatory strikes at the ports targeting three US Navy destroyers as they transited the strait.
You won’t have to know if there’s no ceasefire, Trump told reporters Thursday. You’ll just have to look at one big glow coming out of Iran.
US-Iranian Military Engage, Issue ‘Retaliatory’ Warnings
As Trump claimed that the ceasefire deal still holds in the Persian Gulf, Iran’s semi-official news agencies reported loud explosions, accusing the US of airstrikes that hit civilian infrastructure along the Iranian coasts of Qeshm Island, Bandar Khamir, and Sirik. Iran’s IRGC forces warned the US forces of “reciprocal action” as they targeted US military vessels sailing east of Hormuz and south of the port of Chabahar.
Iran’s Fars news agency, affiliated with the IRGC, first claimed that the explosions came from activity of the Revolutionary Guard’s Navy, but later retracted from the statement, saying there had been “an exchange of fire between Iranian forces and the enemy [US forces].” The agency noted that US military strikes hit the Bahman pier on Qeshm Island. Mehr news agency reported that “two hostile aircraft were destroyed in the skies over Bandar Abbas and Qeshm,” adding that sounds of explosions were also heard along the coast of Sirik, in southern Iran.
At least two senior Iranian officials accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of carrying out the attack. In a remark to the American newspaper The New York Times, the Iranian officials stated that Abu Dhabi took revenge for the drone strikes launched by Iran three days ago in the Gulf.
Later, the US broadcasters reported that the strikes were carried out by the US military. In a televised statement to Fox’s Jennifer Griffin, the official noted that the strikes on Qeshm Island and in Bandar Abbas “do not constitute a resumption of the war,” and were, in fact, carried out in response to Iran’s attack on the UAE. Later, via Truth Social, Trump said the ceasefire is in effect. “No, no, the ceasefire is going. It’s in effect,” Trump wrote.
