Iran strikes US vessels with drones after seizure of cargo ship

Iranian forces carried out drone strikes against multiple American vessels on Sunday following the US seizure of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency. The strikes came after US forces fired on and boarded the container ship Touska. Tasnim did not specify whether the US targets were military or commercial vessels.

US seizes ship, Iran warns of retaliation

Iran had earlier confirmed that US forces seized the Iranian vessel and warned it would retaliate “soon,” calling the move a violation of the Pakistan-brokered two-week ceasefire that has largely held since April 7. Fars News Agency reported that US forces disabled the ship’s navigation system before boarding. US President Donald Trump first announced the incident, and CENTCOM confirmed that the USS Spruance intercepted the vessel after it allegedly attempted to breach the US naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman.

CENTCOM confirms boarding operation

CENTCOM released video footage showing a US warship warning the vessel before firing. Iranian military spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari said US forces opened fire and deployed “a number of terrorist marines” onto the vessel. CENTCOM later stated that Marines from the USS Tripoli rappelled onto the Touska after the ship failed to comply with US warnings over a six-hour period. The vessel remains in US custody. Iran has vowed a military response to what it called “armed act of piracy.”