NEW DELHI: Iran on Wednesday seized two ships, one of which was bound for Gujarat, amid heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and Trump’s ongoing confrontation with Tehran.A tense incident ensued when Iranian forces opened fire on a ship trying to pass through the chokepoint on its way to India, forcing it to suddenly turn back.
Iranian state television later reported that the ships were seized by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and were being taken to Iran. The two ships were identified as MSC Francesca and Epaminondas, but the owners could not immediately be reached for comment, the Associated Press reported.According to maritime traffic data, a Liberian-flagged container ship “Epaminondas” is en route to Mundra Port in Kutch District, Gujarat. Its navigation status is listed as “Stopped.”The seizure marks a sharp escalation by Iran’s leadership, which appears to be hardening its stance after previous rounds of talks with the Trump administration turned into open conflict.Although both sides brokered a ceasefire Pakistan Tensions around the vital oil chokepoint remained high early on Wednesday amid an ongoing U.S. blockade and restrictions imposed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ navy.
