Iran Says Unauthorised Vessels in Strait of Hormuz Are "Legitimate Targets" as US-Iran Ceasefire Faces New Test

Iran said any vessel operating in the Strait of Hormuz without authorisation would be treated as a legitimate target, as the US-Iran ceasefire faced what appeared to be its most serious stress test in weeks. US Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attacked vessels under US protection as part of Project Freedom, using missiles, drones and small boats over a 12-hour period. Cooper said US forces destroyed six Iranian boats. President Donald Trump later put the number at seven, describing them as "fast boats" and saying they were "all they have left." A South Korean cargo ship sustained damage in what officials described as the only confirmed strike. Separately, three Iranian missiles fired toward the UAE were intercepted. An Israeli Iron Dome system, secretly deployed in the UAE, took part in the air defence effort. Iran also targeted oil infrastructure in the UAE. Trump warned Iran would be "blown off the face of the Earth" if it attacked US ships, while telling Fox News that Iranian negotiators were "far more malleable" than before. He cast the next steps as a choice between a deal reached in good faith and renewed military action. Brent crude surged 5.95% to $114.61 as traders priced in a higher risk of escalation around the key shipping corridor. The April 8 ceasefire remains formally in place, though Cooper's briefing suggested the closest thing yet to a ceasefire breach in recent weeks. Bitcoin held above $80,000 through the Asia session despite the Hormuz headlines.