Washington, May 08 (V7N) — A new round of military tension between the United States and Iran has raised fears of escalation in the Gulf region after both sides reported a brief exchange of fire near the Strait of Hormuz late Thursday night.

US President Donald Trump said the ceasefire between the two countries “is still in effect,” despite conflicting claims over who initiated the latest attack.

According to reports citing the BBC, Iran’s military command accused the United States of striking an Iranian oil tanker and another vessel heading toward the Strait of Hormuz, along with airstrikes on coastal areas.

The United States, however, said the action was a “self-defensive strike” after an alleged Iranian attack on a US Navy guided-missile destroyer operating in the same waterway.

Iran, in turn, maintained that its actions were defensive and accused Washington of initiating aggression. Iranian officials also claimed US forces targeted military installations along its coastline.

Trump described the US response as a “love tap,” insisting that the ceasefire remains operational while warning Tehran against further escalation.

The US military stated that its strikes targeted Iranian military sites allegedly used for launching attacks on American warships in the region.

The confrontation comes shortly after Iran signaled it was reviewing a US proposal aimed at de-escalating the ongoing conflict, adding further uncertainty to already fragile diplomatic efforts.

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