April 20 (UPI) -- Iran said that it carried out drone strikes on Monday against U.S. military vessels blockading its ports after the U.S. Navy attacked an Iranian-flagged container ship in the Gulf of Oman.
The state-run Tasnim News Agency said the Iranian military "launched drone strikes toward several U.S. military vessels in the area" in retaliation for the boarding and seizure of the Touska on Sunday night while it was en route to Iran from China.
"We caution that the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will soon respond to and retaliate for this act of piracy and armed aggression by the US military," he added.
Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters, the Iranian military's central command, said in a statement that it had held off from delivering "a decisive response" to "blatant aggression by U.S. terrorist commandos" due to concerns for the safety of family members of the ship's crew who were on board the Touska.
"Iran's operational action was delayed in order to protect their lives and security, which were in constant danger," the statement added.
