Donald Trump said strikes on Iran were “just a love tap” after the US and Tehran traded attacks in the Strait of Hormuz.

The US military confirmed it struck targets in the strait after Iran launched “unprovoked” missile, drone and small boat attacks on three American destroyers transiting the waterway.

In a phone call with ABC News on Thursday evening, the US president said of the assault against Iranian military targets: “It’s just a love tap.”

In a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump added that several Iranian small boats had been “completely destroyed” after firing on the destroyers, which sustained no damage and successfully transited out of the strait.

The US president said the US vessels – identified as the USS Truxtun, USS Rafael Peralta and USS Mason – would rejoin the American naval blockade in the strait.

When asked if the attack meant an end to the fragile ceasefire, which has been in place since April 7, Mr Trump said: “No, no, the ceasefire is going. It’s in effect.”

However, the US president warned that if Tehran did not quickly agree to a deal, the US military would “knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently, in the future”.

Iran’s top joint military command had earlier accused the US of violating the ceasefire and threatened to “respond powerfully”, as the truce teetered on the edge of collapse.

US Central Command (Centcom) said it targeted Iranian military facilities, including missile and drone launch sites, which it claimed were utilised in assaults on US forces.

Strikes were carried out on the city of Bandar Abbas, located north of the critical sea passage, and the Qeshm Island port.