The United States Navy on Sunday seized an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel in the Sea of Oman while it was attempting to sail toward an Iranian port, according to a statement posted on X by the US Department of War.
The vessel, identified as M/V Touska, was intercepted in the northern Arabian Sea while en route to Bandar Abbas. The guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG-111) tracked and stopped the ship as part of ongoing blockade enforcement operations
Repeated warnings ignored
Reportedly, the vessel did not comply with instructions over a six-hour period despite repeated communications from US forces.
Following continued non-compliance, the US Navy directed the crew to evacuate the engine room.
The USS Spruance subsequently fired several rounds from its 5-inch MK 45 gun into the vessel’s engine room, disabling its propulsion.
Also read | Watch: US Central Command releases footage of navy redirecting ship amid Hormuz blockade as Iran war stalemate persists
Personnel from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit later boarded the vessel. The ship remains in US custody.
US authorities said the action was taken in a deliberate and proportional manner to ensure compliance.
Since the start of the blockade, US forces have directed 25 commercial vessels to turn around or return to Iranian ports.
Iranian forces launch drones toward US warships
Iranian forces launched drones toward US warships following an attack on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Sea of Oman, Al Jazeera reported, citing Iranian media.
Separately, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said US forces stationed in the Sea of Oman were forced to retreat after firing at an Iranian merchant vessel, according to Press TV.
Citing Mehr News Agency, Press TV reported that US forces in the region targeted the Iranian vessel in an attempt to compel it to return to Iranian territorial waters.
The incident occurred amid heightened maritime tensions linked to the Strait of Hormuz and the movement of international shipping vessels.
The report added that the US action was connected to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the return of Indian and British merchant ships, and control measures undertaken by the IRGC.
Iran turns back two tankers as tensions rise
Iran’s forces intercepted two oil tankers sailing under the flags of Botswana and Angola in the Strait of Hormuz and directed them to turn back, the Tasnim News Agency reported on Sunday.
Also read | ‘Embarrassing’ reason why Trump was kept out of situation room during F-15 airmen rescue in Iran
The development comes amid escalating tensions following Iran’s confirmation that a US operation targeted an Iranian commercial vessel in the Sea of Oman. Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters accused Washington of “violating the ceasefire and committing maritime piracy”, and said the vessel had been seized.
“We warn that the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will soon respond to and retaliate against this armed piracy by the US military,” the statement said.
The remarks followed claims by United States Central Command that American forces intercepted and disabled the Iranian-flagged vessel TOUSKA in the Arabian Sea after it allegedly violated a naval blockade.
CENTCOM said the guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG-111) fired several rounds into the vessel’s engine room after repeated warnings were ignored, and later boarded it, placing it under US custody. Donald Trump said the vessel had been taken into “full custody”.
The developments have heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, with both sides trading accusations over maritime security, alleged ceasefire violations and control of key shipping routes.
🚨 BREAKING: Watch the full clip here ➤
