Swapna Kumbar , Bengaluru - U.S. and Iranian forces have traded new strikes after Washington accused Tehran of attacking a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, sharply escalating tensions despite an earlier 14-point memorandum of understanding signed by Donald Trump and Masoud Pezeshkian to end the conflict. Vice President JD Vance warned that “violence will be met with violence,” signaling that the U.S. would respond forcefully to any further attacks.

According to reports, U.S. Central Command described its strikes as a “powerful response” to the attack on the commercial vessel M/V Ever Lovely on June 25, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they retaliated by targeting American sites in the Gulf region. The exchange has revived fears of a wider confrontation in a strategically vital waterway, with the Strait of Hormuz once again at the center of the crisis. In his post on X, Vance said Iran had signed a ceasefire agreement and that any disputes over implementation should be handled through communication rather than force, adding that “violence will be met with violence” if attacks continue.

The latest clashes come against a backdrop of fragile diplomacy, with earlier reporting showing Washington insisting that its war is aimed at Iran’s nuclear program rather than Iran itself, even as military strikes have continued. Vance has repeatedly said the U.S. does not want a “forever war,” but has also stressed that Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon and that Washington remains prepared to keep up pressure if talks fail. The situation remains fluid, with the security of commercial shipping, Gulf allies and the wider region now hanging on whether both sides can enforce the agreement and stop the cycle of retaliation.

For now, the conflict appears trapped between diplomacy and escalation, with both sides accusing the other of violating the truce while the Strait of Hormuz remains vulnerable. Vance’s warning underscores how quickly the situation could spiral again if the latest attacks are not contained.