TEHRAN: Iran’s Joint Military Command has accused the United States of violating a ceasefire by firing on an Iranian merchant vessel returning from China, and announced that Iranian forces have already struck back with drone attacks against U.S. naval ships.
In a statement released on Monday, the Iranian military command said the merchant ship was peacefully en route from China to Iran when it came under U.S. fire. The command described the American action as “maritime and armed robbery” and a clear breach of existing truce terms. It vowed that Iran would “soon respond” and take retaliatory action against the U.S. military.
The statement also claimed that following the initial American attack, Iranian forces launched drone strikes targeting several U.S. military ships. No details were provided on the timing or location of these drone operations, nor on potential casualties or damage.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has confirmed that an Iranian vessel is now in American custody, though it has not publicly addressed Iran’s allegations of firing on the ship or the reported drone attacks. CENTCOM stated that the ship was seized during a lawful interdiction.
The incident adds to heightened tensions in the region, particularly around the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Earlier, former President Donald Trump said on social media that the U.S. targeted and captured an Iranian ship that was attempting to violate an American-imposed blockade in the strait. “The U.S. military stopped an Iranian ship that was trying to violate the U.S. blockade in the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote.
Iran’s Joint Military Command did not provide independent evidence for its claims of a ceasefire violation or the drone attacks, and the White House and Pentagon have not yet issued detailed responses. The reported exchange marks a significant escalation in maritime hostilities between the two nations.
