In a statement, the Guards identified the vessels as MSC Francesca and Epaminodes, alleging they had violated maritime regulations and endangered navigation by manipulating their tracking systems.

The IRGC said the ships were detained and escorted towards Iran’s coast, warning that any disruption to security in the Strait of Hormuz was a “red line”, in an apparent reference to the continuing US blockade of Iranian ports.

The development came amid reports of separate firing incidents involving cargo vessels in the strategic waterway.

According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a container ship northeast of Oman reported being approached by an IRGC gunboat, which opened fire without radio contact, causing heavy damage to the vessel’s bridge. All crew members were reported safe, with no fire or environmental damage.

In a separate incident west of Iran, an outbound cargo vessel also reported coming under fire and was forced to halt in the water. UKMTO said the crew was safe and no damage had been reported.

IRGC-affiliated Fars News Agency claimed three vessels — Euphoria, MSC Francesca and Epaminodes — were targeted in the incidents.

The maritime escalation unfolded even as Trump on Tuesday announced an indefinite extension of a fragile ceasefire with Iran, though efforts for a new round of negotiations appear stalled.

The incidents have heightened concerns over security in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical shipping chokepoints through which nearly one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies have traditionally passed.