Iranian and US forces have continued to exchange strikes despite an April ceasefire, fueling tensions across the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, while raising fears the fragile truce could unravel as mediation efforts continue in Doha.
On Monday, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced new strikes on southern Iran, targeting missile sites and boats allegedly attempting to place naval mines. It stated the attacks were carried out in “self-defense” to protect US troops from threats posed by Iranian forces.
On Tuesday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported, according to state media, that it had downed a US drone and fired at a jet and another drone that entered Iranian airspace. Iran also asserted its “legitimate and definite” right to respond to any ceasefire violations.
Since a temporary ceasefire was announced on April 8, Iran has maintained control over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas supplies in peacetime, while US forces have enforced a corresponding blockade on Iranian ports. Negotiations for a long-term ceasefire are ongoing, but experts note that repeated military flare-ups highlight the deep mistrust between the two sides, as Iran and the US vie for leverage amidst an exchange of peace proposals.
Here is a timeline of events since the ceasefire:
**April 8: Ceasefire announced after 40 days of war**
The US and Israel initiated strikes on Iran on February 28, amidst claims of Iran developing nuclear weapons, even as negotiations between Washington and Tehran progressed through mediators. The US and Israel offered no evidence for their allegations, which Iran consistently denied. Iran retaliated with missiles and drones targeting Israeli and US military and infrastructure assets in the Gulf region and the wider Middle East.
On April 8, facilitated by Pakistani mediation, both sides agreed to a two-week pause in hostilities to allow for further negotiations. Delegations from both countries met in Islamabad on April 11 and 12 but failed to reach a broader agreement, exchanging draft proposals through Pakistani mediators in an effort to end the conflict. The ceasefire was subsequently extended to facilitate further proposal exchanges.
According to Iran’s Ministry of Health, at least 3,468 people – aged between eight months and 88 years – have been killed in US-Israeli attacks on Iran since February 28. This figure includes seven infants, 376 children, and 496 women.
In Iranian attacks, at least 26 Israelis have been killed and 7,791 wounded, while the US military has confirmed 13 combat-related deaths across the region. Dozens of people also perished in Gulf countries. Lebanon remains the most severely affected in the region, where, despite a ceasefire, Israel continues its attacks amidst a ground invasion. Over 3,200 people have been killed, as reported by the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health.
**April 10: Kuwait accuses Iran of drone attacks**
The ceasefire faced immediate strain when Kuwait reported that seven drones entered its airspace on April 10, accusing Iran and allied armed groups of the attacks.
Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned these actions as violations of its sovereignty and airspace. Concurrently, the US Department of State accused Iran-linked armed groups in Iraq of launching attacks from Iraqi territory. Iran, however, denied any involvement, stating it had not targeted any Gulf country since the ceasefire commenced.
**April 12: US naval blockade deepens tensions**
Four days into the ceasefire, and following the collapse of direct talks in Islamabad, the US announced a naval blockade targeting maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports. The US justified this by arguing that Iran had continued to benefit from oil exports while the Strait of Hormuz was closed to almost all other shipping.
The blockade formally took effect the next day, though Washington stated that vessels bound for non-Iranian ports would be permitted passage.
Iran condemned the measure as “illegal,” warning that ports in the Gulf region would not be safe if Iranian ports were threatened.
This blockade followed Iran’s tightening control over shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, where it restricted some foreign ships while allowing passage to countries it considered friendly.
The International Maritime Organization has asserted that no country has the right to block shipping in international transit straits.
**April 18-22: Ship seizures, attacks at sea**
On April 18, Iranian forces fired upon two Indian ships in the Strait of Hormuz, claiming they lacked permission to pass.
Maritime tensions further escalated on April 20, when US forces seized an Iranian container ship near the Gulf, an act Iran denounced as “piracy.” CENTCOM and US President Donald Trump stated that the vessel, the Iran-flagged Touska, had ignored orders to withdraw from its route through the Strait of Hormuz.
Days later, on April 22, the IRGC fired on three ships in the strait and seized two foreign container vessels, the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca and the Liberian-flagged Epaminondas, asserting they lacked authorization to transit the waterway.
This incident occurred the day after Trump extended the ceasefire while maintaining the US naval blockade on Iranian ports.
**May 4: UAE refinery fire blamed on Iran**
On May 4, the United Arab Emirates accused Iran of launching missiles and drones at the country, which caused a fire at an oil refinery in Fujairah and wounded three Indian nationals.
The UAE reported that its air defenses intercepted 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles, and four drones launched from Iran. Abu Dhabi condemned these as “unprovoked Iranian attacks” on civilian infrastructure.
The UAE stated these were the first attacks on its territory since the ceasefire began on April 8. These strikes coincided with Trump’s new initiative to escort stranded oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, much of which had been closed since the war started.
Iran’s military warned commercial vessels against accepting US escorts and threatened to attack if they entered the strait. Trump abandoned the effort after one day.
**May 14: Commercial vessels targeted again**
On May 14, an Indian cargo ship transporting livestock from Africa to the UAE sank off the coast of Oman. Concurrently, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that “unauthorized personnel” boarded another vessel near Fujairah and redirected it towards Iran.
India condemned the attack, highlighting that commercial shipping and civilian sailors continued to be targeted despite the ceasefire.
**May 17: Drone strike close to UAE’s Barakah nuclear plant**
A drone strike ignited a fire on the perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), sparking renewed concerns over a potential regional escalation amidst a fragile ceasefire between Iran and the United States.
Authorities in Abu Dhabi reported that the blaze occurred at an electrical generator outside the plant’s inner perimeter in the Al Dhafra region on Sunday. No injuries were reported, and officials confirmed radiation levels remained normal. While the UAE did not explicitly blame Iran, it stated the drones had been launched from the “western border.”
**May 17: Drones intercepted in Saudi Arabia**
Saudi Arabia also announced it intercepted three drones fired from Iraqi airspace. The Saudi defense ministry declared it would take “necessary operational measures” in the event of any attempt to violate its sovereignty and security.
**Talks continue despite distrust**
Diplomatic efforts to secure a broader peace agreement are ongoing. Senior Iranian officials traveled to Qatar this week for negotiations aimed at ending the US-Israel war on Iran, with discussions reportedly focusing on the release of frozen Iranian assets.
Iran is also seeking sanctions relief for its oil and petrochemical exports during a proposed 60-day period to discuss its nuclear program. A further proposed 30-day timeframe would involve the US lifting its blockade of Iranian oil ports while Tehran restores commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran is also seeking guarantees related to a ceasefire in Lebanon, where Israel continues to strike and occupy towns and villages in the south of the country. Meanwhile, Trump is reportedly attempting to link these negotiations to efforts for Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Pakistan to normalize ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords.
Analysts suggest that any agreement remains politically sensitive, with deep distrust persisting as all sides seek leverage to secure a deal they can present domestically as a victory.
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