The IRGC says the aggression occurred in response to the US seizure of an Iranian commercial ship.
Published on 22 April 2026
An Iranian gunboat has fired at a container ship off the coast of Oman, according to the British maritime surveillance agency, hours after United States President Donald Trump said he would extend the ceasefire with Iran.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Center said on Wednesday that the ship’s captain reported that a vessel from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had approached the ship before the shots were fired.
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“This has caused extensive damage to the bridge. There have been no reports of fire or environmental impact,” the agency said. No injuries were reported and all crew members were reported safe.
British maritime security firm Vanguard Tech said the ship was sailing under the Liberian flag and had been informed that it had permission to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.
However, Iranian news agency Tasnim said the ship had ignored warnings issued by Iran’s armed forces.
The incident followed a warning from the IRGC’s Khatam al-Anbiya central headquarters over what was described as a US seizure of an Iranian commercial ship in the Sea of Oman, IRNA news agency reported.
It accused Washington of violating the ceasefire and committing “armed robbery” after allegedly firing at an Iranian ship and disabling its navigation system.
Trump extended the ceasefire
Trump had earlier announced that he would delay a planned military strike on Iran following requests from Pakistan Army Chief of Staff Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump said the decision was made because Iran’s government was “severely fragmented” and needed time to present a unified position.
“We are asked to halt our attacks on the country of Iran until their leaders and representatives come up with a unified resolution,” he wrote.
However, he said the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would remain in place and the military had been ordered to remain “ready and capable”.
The announcement marks a change from comments he made a day earlier, when Trump said it was “highly unlikely” he would extend the cease-fire beyond Tuesday.
‘Positive and negative signals’ from Tehran
Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi, reporting from Tehran, said Iranian officials were sending mixed messages on the prospects of a ceasefire and talks.
“Tehran is saying that they will not negotiate under the imposed terms and conditions… When we compare the initial 10-point and 15-point proposals of the Iranians and the Americans, we can understand that the two sides are different from each other,” he said.
“This distrust in Tehran toward the United States, coupled with military rhetoric related to potentially failed negotiations, has worsened the situation… This is a warning that another round of confrontation may be ahead.”
He said Iran still views the Strait of Hormuz as a major source of leverage in any talks.
“It is trying to assert control over ships and vessels passing through strategically important chokepoints,” he said.
Asadi said Iranian officials have formulated their regional position based on mutual security. He said, “The Iranians are saying that the basis of their foreign policy behavior, especially when it comes to Israel, is security for all versus security for none.”
