Iran Attacks US Ships with Drones in Retaliation for Vessel Seizure
Washington (ANTARA) - Iranian forces on Sunday launched a drone attack on several American ships in retaliation for the shooting and interception of an Iranian vessel by US forces, according to local media.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that after US forces boarded the Touska container ship in the Gulf of Oman, Iranian drones were launched against American ships, without specifying whether the targets were military or commercial.
Iran had previously confirmed that US forces had seized the Iranian ship and warned that they would soon retaliate against the action, which it described as a violation of the ceasefire.
Iran and the United States agreed to a two-week ceasefire mediated by Pakistan, effective since it was announced on 7 April.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Fars News Agency reported that the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters stated that US forces had targeted the vessel, disabling its navigation system and boarding it after firing shots, quoting military spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari.
Ship tracking data shows that Touska departed from Port Klang in Malaysia on 12 April.
The incident was first announced by US President Donald Trump on Sunday, later confirmed by the US Central Command (CENTCOM), stating that the USS Spruance intercepted the Iranian-flagged cargo ship, which was attempting to break through the US Navy’s blockade in the Gulf of Oman.
According to CENTCOM, Marines continue to hold the vessel. In a statement, CENTCOM said the ship was heading to Bandar Abbas port in Iran.
CENTCOM also released video footage on the social media platform X showing a US warship warning the vessel before firing.
Zolfaghari said, “The aggressive United States, by engaging in maritime piracy, violated the ceasefire by attacking one of Iran’s ships after disabling its navigation system.”
He added that US forces boarded the vessel after deploying “a number of terrorist marines” onto it.
“We warn that Iranian military forces will soon respond and retaliate against this armed hijacking by the US military,” he said.