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Iranian soldiers were pictured storming a ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday as fears of a new escalation in the Middle East grow. Footage released by the Tasnim news agency showed soldiers boarding the MSC Francesca and Epaminondas in the vital shipping route on Wednesday.

Men wearing balaclavas can be seen approaching the vessels in their own small boat before climbing up the ladders and storming the ship with weapons. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said the ships were transferred to Iran's coast after "disrupting order and safety in the Strait of Hormuz is considered a red line for Iran".

The first attack involved the Greek-flagged Epaminodas, 15 nautical miles northeast of Oman. An IRGC "gun boat" opened fire on the ship, causing heavy damage to the vessel's bridge, the UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO) reported.

Nour News, affiliated with Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said the Epaminondas "ignored warnings" from the country's armed forces before an IRGC "gun boat" opened fire on it.

The Panama-flagged MSC Francesca was hit roughly six nautical miles off Iran while heading into the Gulf of Oman, Vanguard told the BBC. It sustained "damage to the hull and accommodation".

There was also a third attack on Wednesday, involving the Panama-flagged Euphoria, which was targeted eight nautical miles west of Iran, the UKMTO said.

The crew are safe and accounted for, and no damage has been reported to the ship, which is owned by a UAE-based company.

Iran earlier threatened to launch devastating strikes on US ships as peace talks are on the verge of collapse.

An Iranian security official warned that the US seizure of the country's ships would be a "big gamble" that would make American ships legitimate targets for retaliation.

He told Al Jazeera: "Starting today, all US-owned ships will be legitimate targets of Iran's asymmetric operations."

The official added that Washington appears to have engaged in the conflict and subsequent naval blockade without considering the high level of risk associated.

He said Iran has much skill and experience when engaging in conflicts where there's a significant difference in the military capabilities possessed by each side.