Iran seized two cargo ships in Strait of Hormuz after three vessels attacked

 

• Iran has attacked three cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian reports say, after Donald Trump said he was extending the US-Iran ceasefire. 

• The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it has seized two of the three ships, and is escorting them to the Iranian coast.

• The ships may have tried to make a "run for it" when the strait reopened briefly last week, Jonathan Josephs writes

• Trump said last night he was extending the ceasefire, while also maintaining the US blockade of Iranian ports, which is designed to put pressure on Iran before talks with the US in Pakistan.

• But the status of those talks is unclear - US Vice-President JD Vance did not depart for Pakistan as expected on Tuesday.

• The Strait of Hormuz is now too dangerous for all but a trickle of traffic, writes Frank Gardner - it is deeply damaging for both Iran and the global economy.