US President Donald Trump said the ceasefire with Iran remained in place despite an Iranian attack on three American destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz.

He dismissed the incident as “a trifle.” The US military said it struck Iranian military targets in response, while Tehran accused Washington of firing first and violating the truce in effect since April 8.

Is the US-Iran ceasefire still in place?

Trump confirmed the ceasefire holds, but the exchange of fire has put it under serious strain. The April 8 truce ended weeks of US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Iranian retaliation across the Middle East.

Thursday’s clashes show how quickly the agreement could collapse if either side escalates further.

What happened in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday?

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Iranian forces launched “multiple missiles, drones and small boats” at three US warships, though none were hit. CENTCOM said it “eliminated inbound threats and targeted Iranian military facilities responsible.”

Iran’s central military command told a different story, accusing the US of first attacking an oil tanker and another ship, saying its forces “immediately and in retaliation attacked American military vessels.”

Trump confirmed the US response, posting on Truth Social: “We’ll knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently, in the future, if they don’t get their Deal signed, FAST!” He had signaled optimism about a deal just the day before.

Why does the Strait of Hormuz matter so much?

The strait is a vital route for global oil and gas shipments. Iran largely shuttered it following the start of the war with US-Israeli attacks on February 28. Around 1,500 ships and 20,000 international crew are now trapped in the Gulf region as a result, according to the secretary-general of the UN’s International Maritime Organization, Arsenio Dominguez, speaking at a Maritime Convention of the Americas meeting in Panama.

Trump briefly launched a naval operation this week to force the strait open to commercial vessels, only to stand it down within hours, citing progress in negotiations with Iran.

What is Iran’s position on the ceasefire deal?

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran would communicate its position to mediator Pakistan “after finalizing its views.” Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had struck an optimistic tone before Thursday’s clashes, saying: “I firmly believe that this ceasefire will turn into a long-term ceasefire.”

Inside Iran, civilians were less hopeful. A 42-year-old photographer named Shervin, messaging AFP from Tehran, said: “Neither side in these negotiations is really capable of reaching an agreement. This is another one of Trump’s games; otherwise, why are so many warships and military forces being sent toward Iran?”

How does the US-Iran conflict connect to Lebanon?

Any agreement between the US and Iran could also lower tensions in Lebanon, where a separate truce is under renewed strain. An Israeli strike on southern Beirut on Wednesday killed a commander from militant group Hezbollah.

A US State Department official confirmed on Thursday that new Israel-Lebanon talks would take place on May 14 and 15, the third such meeting in recent months between two countries technically at war for decades with no diplomatic relations.

Lebanon was drawn into the broader Middle East conflict when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Lebanon’s health ministry reported at least 12 people killed in a series of Israeli airstrikes on Thursday. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that a peace deal between the two sides was “eminently achievable,” arguing Hezbollah was the main sticking point rather than any issue between the two governments.

What did Trump say about Europe and Iran’s nuclear program?

Trump, who has criticized Europe for not backing his campaign against Iran, said Thursday he had a “great call” with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen. He said the two leaders were “completely united that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.”