Leavitt explains why Iran's seizure of two ships doesn't violate Trump's ceasefire

By Fox News · Fox News

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt explained why President Donald Trump does not consider Iran's seizure of two ships in the Strait of Hormuz a violation of the ceasefire agreement. Leavitt made the statement during an interview with Fox News' Martha McCallum on Wednesday just hours after Iran captured the Greek and Mediterranean-flagged vessels. "Does the seizure of two ships — as we said, they were Greek and Mediterranean-owned ships with cargo on them, and the reports are that Iran basically seized them and then moved them into Iranian waters. We don’t know what’s going to happen to these crews. We’re not sure where all of this is going. Does the president view that as a violation of the ceasefire?" McCallum asked. "No, because these were not U.S. ships. These were not Israeli ships. These were two international vessels," Leavitt responded. US FORCES ATTEMPTING TO BOARD SANCTIONED RUSSIAN-FLAGGED OIL TANKER IN NORTH ATLANTIC, SOURCES SAY "And for the American media, who are sort of blowing this out of proportion to discredit the president’s facts that he has completely obliterated Iran’s conventional Navy, these two ships were taken by speedy gunboats. Iran has gone from having the most lethal Navy in the Middle East to now acting like a bunch of pirates. They don’t have control over the strait," she continued. "This is piracy that we are seeing on display. And the naval blockade that the United States has imposed continues to be incredibly effective. And, to be clear, the blockade is on ships going to and from Iranian ports. And the point of this is the economic leverage that we maintain over Iran now. While there’s a ceasefire with respect to the military and kinetic strikes, Operation Economic Fury continues, and the crux of that is this naval blockade," she added. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said the vessels, identified as the MSC Francesca and the Epaminondas, were operating without proper authorization and had tampered with navigation system…