Iran has claimed it carried out drone strikes targeting US military vessels in the Sea of Oman, in what it described.
As retaliation after American forces fired on and seized an Iranian commercial ship near the Strait of Hormuz. The reported exchange signals a sharp escalation between Tehran and Washington, threatening to unravel a fragile ceasefire in the region.
According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, the drone attacks were launched in response to the US interception of the Iranian-flagged vessel. However, no details were provided on the scale of the operation or whether the strikes caused any damage to US assets.
US intercepts Iranian vessel
The United States military said it engaged and seized a cargo ship identified as Touska as it headed towards Bandar Abbas. President Donald Trump stated that the vessel attempted to breach a US-imposed naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement on Truth Social, Trump said US Marines boarded the ship after it failed to comply with repeated warnings. He added that the vessel was under US Treasury sanctions over alleged illicit activity. The United States Central Command later confirmed the operation and released visuals of the seizure.
Tehran calls it ‘armed piracy’
Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya military command condemned the US action as a violation of the ceasefire, describing it as “armed piracy.” Officials said American forces disabled the vessel before boarding it, and warned of retaliation.
While Iran initially denied that the ship had been seized, it later acknowledged the interception following US confirmation. Iranian authorities said the vessel was travelling from China to Iran at the time.
Ceasefire under strain
The incident has further strained already tense relations and cast doubt over ongoing diplomatic efforts. Iran signalled it may withdraw from planned talks with the US, citing the continued naval blockade and what it called shifting positions from Washington.
The US, meanwhile, warned of possible strikes on Iranian infrastructure if negotiations fail. Tehran responded by cautioning that any such move would trigger retaliatory attacks on critical facilities in Gulf countries hosting American bases, raising fears of a broader regional conflict.
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