Iranian forces launch drones toward US warships after attack on commercial ship in Sea of Oman: Iran media

Iranian forces launched drones towards US warships following an attack on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Sea of Oman Al Jazeera reported citing Iranian mediaMeanwhile the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps IRGC has claimed that US forces stationed in the Sea of Oman were forced to retreat after firing at an Iranian merchant vessel Press TV reportedCiting Mehr news agency Press TV reported that US forces operating in the region targeted an Iranian merchant ship in an attempt to compel it to return to Iranian territorial watersAccording to the report the incident took place amid heightened maritime tensions involving the Strait of Hormuz and movement of international shipping vesselsIt added that the US move was linked to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the return of Indian and British merchant ships as well as control measures carried out by the IRGCHowever it emphasised that American forces were forced to retreat following the timely presence and rapid response of IRGC naval units in support of the Iranian vessel as per Press TVThe report further claimed that the United States had announced a naval blockade on Iran after failing to achieve its military objectives in what it described as a joint military campaign with Israel that began in late FebruaryIt said the blockade was imposed in response to Irans restrictions on transit through the Strait of Hormuz a key global energy corridorIran had briefly eased restrictions on nonhostile commercial shipping on Friday amid efforts to deescalate tensions according to the reportHowever the IRGC Navy said in a statement on Saturday that Iran had closed the Strait of Hormuz after the United States allegedly continued its blockade on Iranian ports in violation of a ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump on April 8However due to the violation of the ceasefire conditions and as the American adversary has not lifted the naval blockade on Iranian vessels and ports the Strait of Hormuz has been closed as of this evening until this blockade is removed the IRGC saidEarlier on Sunday Tasnim news agency reported that Iranian Armed Forces intercepted two oil tankers sailing under the flags of Botswana and Angola in the Strait of Hormuz and turned them backThe developments come amid further escalation following Irans confirmation that a US operation targeted an Iranian commercial vessel in the Sea of Oman Irans Hazrat Khatam alAnbiya military headquarters accused Washington of violating the ceasefire and committing maritime piracy and said the vessel had been seizedWe 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 it saidThe statement followed claims by US Central Command CENTCOM that American forces intercepted and disabled the Iranianflagged vessel TOUSKA in the Arabian Sea after it allegedly violated a naval blockadeCENTCOM said the USS Spruance fired several rounds into the vessels engine room after repeated warnings were ignored and later boarded it placing it under US custody President Donald Trump also claimed the vessel had been taken into full custodyThe situation has further intensified tensions in the Strait of Hormuz with both sides trading accusations over maritime security ceasefire violations and control of critical shipping routesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever