[Discussion] U.S. Marines Seize Sanctioned Iranian-Flagged Cargo Ship After Destroyer Disables It

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U.S. forces seize sanctioned Iranian-flagged cargo ship

U.S. Marines boarded and took custody of the Iranian-flagged cargo ship Touska after the vessel attempted to pass a U.S.-enforced naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz, according to statements Sunday from President Donald Trump and U.S. Central Command.

Trump said on social media that the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance stopped the ship after it tried to continue toward Iranian waters despite orders to halt and turn back. CENTCOM said the Touska was sailing toward Bandar Abbas, Iran, when the encounter occurred.

CENTCOM says ship ignored warnings for six hours

According to CENTCOM, the USS Spruance issued multiple direct messages to the Touska, but the vessel’s crew did not comply over a six-hour period. After repeated warnings, the destroyer instructed the crew to evacuate the engine room before engaging the ship.

CENTCOM said Spruance then disabled the Touska’s propulsion by firing several rounds from its 5-inch Mk 45 naval gun into the engine room. Trump described the action as a direct hit that disabled the sanctioned vessel. CENTCOM also released brief video footage that appeared to show the destroyer maneuvering alongside the cargo ship and opening fire.

Marines from 31st MEU conducted the boarding

After the ship was disabled, Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit boarded the Touska. Trump said U.S. forces now have “full custody” of the vessel. Neither Trump nor CENTCOM provided further details on the immediate status of the ship’s crew or what legal or operational steps will follow.

The Touska was described as a vessel already under U.S. Treasury sanctions, a detail that may shape the handling of the seizure. No injuries or casualties were announced in the statements released Sunday.

First direct ship seizure since blockade began

The operation appears to be the first direct U.S. military action against a ship since Washington announced a blockade targeting vessels traveling to or from Iranian ports. U.S. officials have framed the blockade as a response to Iran’s moves to restrict access to the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil and commodity shipments.

Before the Touska incident, U.S. forces had reportedly turned back more than 20 ships without boarding them. The latest seizure marks an escalation in enforcement after several days of rising tension around the waterway.

Regional tensions continue to rise in Strait of Hormuz

The broader confrontation has intensified in recent days. The article states that vessels linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired on two Indian tankers in the Strait of Hormuz a day earlier, while Iran said it would reimpose “strict control” over the waterway in response to the U.S. blockade.

On Thursday, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said U.S. sailors were authorized to fire warning shots at ships attempting to cross the blockade and could board and take control of a vessel if necessary.

The USS Spruance is assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and has been operating in the Arabian Sea. The U.S. naval presence in the area includes more than six destroyers, along with the USS Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group, which carries about 2,200 Marines from the 31st MEU.

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