Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) gunboats fired on three vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, seizing two ships and damaging a third, a day after US President Trump extended the ceasefire.
According to media reports, the IRGC took control of the Liberian-flagged Epaminondas and the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca. A third vessel, identified as the Euphoria, was attacked and later described by Iranian media as “stranded” on the coast.
The Epaminondas sustained significant damage to its bridge after being fired upon by a manned gunboat, while the MSC Francesca was instructed to drop anchor while transiting south through the strait. No injuries were reported among the crews.
The incident took place one day after US President Donald Trump extended a ceasefire while maintaining a blockade of Iranian ports. The White House indicated that the seizure of the vessels did not violate the ceasefire terms, noting that the ships were not American or Israeli.
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated, “A complete ceasefire only has meaning if it is not violated through a naval blockade.” He added, “Reopening the Strait of Hormuz is not possible amid a blatant violation of the ceasefire.”
Prior to the IRGC actions, the US seized of two Iranian vessels, BBC reported. The developments add to a pattern of maritime incidents in the area, with more than 30 reported attacks on ships in the region.
The ongoing standoff has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil route where about 20 percent of the world’s traded oil passes in peacetime. Brent crude oil prices have risen above $100 per barrel, representing a 35 percent increase from prewar levels.
