The White House spokesperson said that Iran's military seizure of two cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday is not considered a violation of the ceasefire agreement because the ships were neither U.S. nor Israeli.
On 22 Apr 2026 GMT+7, U.S. White House spokesperson Caroline Leavitt stated that President Donald Trump does not view the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claim of seizing two ships in the Strait of Hormuz as a breach of the ceasefire agreement, since the vessels were not U.S. ships.
"These ships are not U.S. or Israeli vessels, but two international ships," Leavitt told Fox News on Wednesday.
She added, "Both ships were seized by high-speed gunboats. Iran once had the most powerful navy in the Middle East, but now it behaves like a group of pirates. They no longer control the strait. What we are seeing are acts of piracy, and the maritime blockade enforced by the U.S. remains highly effective."
Earlier the same day, the IRGC claimed it had seized two ships "accused of operating without proper authorization, repeatedly violating regulations, and distorting navigation systems."
Leavitt downplayed the significance of the seizure, stating, "These are just two (small) ships, which are negligible compared to the more than 160 Iranian warships the U.S. has sunk."
Meanwhile, Iranian media further reported that a third vessel, owned by a Greek company, was also targeted by the IRGC and is currently "inoperable off the coast of Iran."
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Source:cnn