2 min readApr 22, 2026 05:32 PM IST
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), on Wednesday (April 22), fired on a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz, causing damage to the vessel hours after US President Donald Trump announced the extension of the ceasefire between the two warring nations.
A second vessel was fired on in the strait shortly after, with no damage reported, according to the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre.
Trump on Tuesday announced that he would extend his two-week ceasefire with Iran, reversing earlier remarks that military action was imminent.
‘Ship ignored warnings’
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO), a monitoring agency run by the British military, reported that an Iranian Revolutionary Guard gunboat opened fire on a vessel without issuing any warning, though no injuries were reported in the incident.
However, Iran’s Nour News said that the IRGC only opened fire on the vessel after it had “ignored the warnings of the Iranian armed forces.”
Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency described the attack in the Strait of Hormuz as a “lawful enforcement” of its control.
Extension of Iran ceasefire
Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said, “Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured … and upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif … we have been asked to hold our attack.”
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He added that the US military would maintain its blockade and “remain ready and able” while talks continue.
Meanwhile, Iranian officials responded by rejecting the extension, with Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf describing the move as “a ploy to buy time for a surprise strike”.
He said that the continuation of the siege was “no different from bombardment” and that it must be dealt with a military response.
“Trump’s ceasefire extension means nothing. The losing side cannot dictate terms. The continuation of the siege is no different from bombardment and must be met with a military response,” the top Iranian leader said in a post on X.
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“Moreover, Trump’s ceasefire extension is certainly a ploy to buy time for a surprise strike. The time for Iran to take the initiative has come,” he added.
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