Iran War & Ceasefire — 2026-06-18

IRGC Launches Drones at Commercial Ships in Hormuz Days After Signing Peace Agreement

BLUFSustained IRGC drone launches against commercial shipping since Sunday's signing indicate the MOU lacks enforcement mechanisms, making additional attacks on Hormuz transit likely within 30 days.

US Central Command reported Friday that American forces shot down multiple IRGC one-way attack drones targeting commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz 1. The Jerusalem Post, citing a source, reported Iran had launched drones at commercial vessels multiple times since the US-Iran memorandum of understanding was signed on Sunday, with all inbound drones intercepted before reaching their targets 23. A US official told NBC that the IRGC was conducting the launches and that US forces continue coordinating with shipping companies to support transits through the strait 2. Trump confirmed the deal on Sunday, authorized reopening the strait and lifting the naval blockade, and characterized its terms as ensuring Iran "will never have a nuclear weapon" 24.

Analysis
The pattern of IRGC attacks sustained across multiple intercepts since Sunday's signing indicates the Corps is accelerating its maritime campaign as coercive leverage while nuclear negotiations remain unresolved, and additional strikes are likely within the next 30 days. Analytic confidence is moderate, grounded in consistent CENTCOM reporting and observable IRGC patterns but limited by the absence of independent secondary sourcing and any visibility into whether Khamenei authorized the campaign or simply failed to restrain the Corps. The MOU contains no enforcement mechanism against independent IRGC action. The strikes may instead reflect institutional autonomy, with the Corps preserving leverage and operational relevance before a finalized agreement narrows its mandate. If the tempo holds, naval commanders will need to determine whether steady-state intercept operations are sustainable or whether MOU implementation should be conditioned on a formal IRGC stand-down.
5 sources
  1. US forces shoot down Iranian drones targeting ships in Strait of Hormuz: Centcom - The Hill
  2. Iran has fired drones at commercial ships in Hormuz strait since MoU's signing, source tells 'Post' - Jerusalem Post
  3. Iran fires drones at commercial ships in Hormuz after peace deal: Report - Business Standard
  4. Iran Launches Drones At Ships In Hormuz After Signing Agreement To Reopen Strait - Marine Insight
  5. CENTCOM Forces Defeat Missiles, Drones Launched by Iran - U.S. Central Command

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