Iran Fires On 3 Ships In Strait Of Hormuz
By Daily Caller. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, complicating ongoing negotiations.
The IRGC fired on three vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, according to information from the British military’s UKMTO. The action took place a day after President Donald Trump announced an indefinite ceasefire in a Truth Social post until the Iranian government would agree to resume in-person negotiations that were originally slated to take place in Pakistan.
The IRGC seized two of the vessels, according to reporting from The Associated Press. Iranian state media claimed the Iranian military was allegedly taking the ships back to Iran.
The ships that were hit were the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca, Liberia-flagged Epaminondas and the Liberia-flagged Euphoria, according to Reuters.
“Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal. I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other,” Trump said in the Truth Social post on Tuesday. (Read more from “Iran Fires On 3 Ships In Strait Of Hormuz” HERE)
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Iran’s military more capable than Trump administration is publicly acknowledging, sources say
By CBS News. The Islamic Republic of Iran maintains more military capabilities than the White House or Pentagon has publicly admitted, according to multiple U.S. officials with knowledge of intelligence on the matter.
About half of Iran’s stockpile of ballistic missiles and its associated launch systems were still intact as of the start of the ceasefire in early April, three of the officials told CBS News.
Roughly 60% of the naval arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is still in existence, the officials said, including fast-attack speed boats. On Wednesday, Iranian gunboats attacked several commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, shortly after President Trump announced he was unilaterally extending a ceasefire to allow more time for peace talks.
Iranian air power has been significantly degraded but not erased, said the officials, who requested anonymity from CBS News because they were not authorized to discuss the matters publicly.
About two-thirds of Iran’s air force is still believed to be operational, the officials said, after an intensive U.S. and Israeli campaign that struck thousands of targets, including storage and production facilities. (Read more from “Iran’s military more capable than Trump administration is publicly acknowledging, sources say” HERE)
