US seizes Iran ship, Tehran vows retaliation

Washington: The United States has seized an Iran-flagged cargo vessel after opening fire on it in the Arabian Sea. Tehran condemned the move as “armed piracy” and warn of retaliation, escalating tensions days before a fragile ceasefire is set to expire.

The US Navy fired on the Iranian-flagged vessel, M/V Touska, after it attempted to breach a naval blockade imposed on Iranian ports, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).

CENTCOM said American forces issued repeated warnings during a six-hour standoff before taking action. “American forces issued multiple warnings and informed the Iranian-flagged vessel it was in violation of the US blockade,” the command said.

After the crew failed to comply, a US guided-missile destroyer targeted the ship’s engine room, disabling its propulsion system. Marines later boarded the vessel and took it into custody, Fox News reported.

The operation marks the first known use of force since Washington imposed a blockade on Iranian maritime activity earlier this month, significantly raising the stakes in a confrontation centred on the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian officials reacted sharply, accusing Washington of aggression. In a statement carried by Fox News, Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters warned: “We warn that the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will soon respond to and retaliate against this armed piracy by the US military.”

Iranian military authorities said their forces did not resist the boarding to avoid endangering crew members and their families. “They faced constraints in order to protect their lives and ensure their safety,” the command said.

US officials said the ship had ignored repeated radio warnings. The destroyer USS Spruance eventually ordered the crew to evacuate the engine room before firing several rounds into the vessel’s propulsion system, The New York Times reported.

A US military official said Marines are now searching thousands of containers aboard the ship to determine the nature of its cargo, according to The New York Times.

The Touska had been under US sanctions and was among vessels being closely monitored for potential links to Iran’s supply chains, The New York Times reported.

The incident comes as a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran nears its expiry, with no clarity on whether it will be extended.

The Strait of Hormuz has long been a flashpoint in US-Iran tensions due to its strategic importance for global oil flows. Previous confrontations in the region have triggered spikes in energy prices and raised fears of wider conflict.

–IANS