Iran strikes US vessels in retaliation for cargo ship’s seizure: Report

LAGOS, Nigeria – Tensions in the Middle East have escalated sharply after Iranian forces launched drone strikes on multiple American vessels in the Gulf of Oman on Sunday.

The action came hours after United States forces seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship, according to reports from Tehran’s semi-official media outlets.

Iranian military sources said the drones were deployed in direct retaliation for the boarding of the container vessel TOUSKA, which they described as a clear breach of international norms.

US President Donald Trump first announced the operation, confirming that the USS Spruance intercepted the ship as it tried to break a naval blockade in the strategic waterway.

Central Command later backed the move, stating the vessel ignored warnings before US forces opened fire, disabled its navigation system and boarded it.

Iran had earlier warned of swift consequences, calling the seizure a violation of the two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan and announced on April 7.

That truce, which had largely held, followed weeks of backchannel talks between Washington and Tehran.

The TOUSKA had departed Port Klang in Malaysia on April 12, ship tracking records show, before the confrontation unfolded.

NaijaChoice News reports that the fresh flare-up has raised fears over the safety of key oil shipping lanes.

Energy analysts in Abuja say any sustained disruption in the Gulf of Oman could trigger volatility in global crude prices, with direct implications for Nigeria’s oil export earnings and fuel subsidy reforms.