US Navy Seizes Iranian Cargo Ship After Firing on Engine Room
The USS Spruance intercepted and disabled the Iranian-flagged cargo vessel Touska near the Strait of Hormuz, leading to its seizure by U.S. forces.
On April 19, 2026, the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Spruance intercepted the Iranian-flagged cargo vessel Touska in the Gulf of Oman as it attempted to breach a U.S.-imposed naval blockade en route to Bandar Abbas, Iran. After the Touska's crew failed to comply with repeated warnings over a six-hour period, the Spruance directed the vessel to evacuate its engine room and fired several rounds from its 5-inch MK 45 gun into the engine room, disabling the ship's propulsion. U.S. Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit subsequently boarded and seized the vessel, which remains in U.S. custody.
President Donald Trump commented on the incident, stating that the Navy "stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engine room." Iranian officials condemned the seizure as a violation of the ceasefire agreement and an act of "maritime piracy," vowing to respond to the incident. This marks the first use of force since the U.S. blockade was established, escalating tensions between the two nations.