IRGC claims seizure of two vessels in Strait of Hormuz over alleged violations

By  News On Air   Apr 22, 2026

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) today claimed that its naval forces seized two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. It alleged that the vessels violated its territorial waters and tried to exit the strategic waterway without authorisation from Tehran.

According to the Iranian state media, these two ships have been identified as MSC-FRANCESCA and EPAMINODES. This comes just hours after US President Donald Trump announced an indefinite extension of a temporary ceasefire. This incident marks a significant escalation in maritime hostilities, highlighting heightened tensions in the region’s critical waterways.

Earlier in the day, two incidents of ship attacks were reported by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, underscoring a sharp spike in maritime security threats in the Strait of Hormuz and nearby waters. In a social media post, US President Trump announced an indefinite extension of the two-week ceasefire with Iran, citing a request from mediator Pakistan and the need for Iran’s fractured leadership to submit a unified peace proposal. However, the US has maintained a naval blockade of Iranian ports, a move Tehran officials have characterised as no different from bombardment, leading to the current military response in the Strait.