- Iran warns of retaliation for the aggression.
A dramatic escalation unfolded in the Gulf of Oman as United States forces intercepted and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel, Touska, amid an ongoing naval blockade linked to rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Visuals from the operation show US naval forces firing at the vessel before Marine commandos boarded it mid-sea, marking a significant moment in the intensifying standoff between Washington and Tehran.
Operation Captured On Video
Footage circulating online captures the moment US personnel rappelled onto the cargo ship after it was disabled.
Les forces iraniennes ont ciblé des navires de guerre américains avec des drones après que des Marines aient attaqué et abordé le M/V Touska battant pavillon iranien – Tasnim.
Vidéo : interception du M/V Touska par la marine américaine pic.twitter.com/8Ac5Tzwvob
— Renard Jean-Michel (@Renardpaty) April 20, 2026
According to United States Central Command (CENTCOM), the operation followed repeated warnings issued to the vessel over several hours.
“After Touska’s crew failed to comply with repeated warnings over a six-hour period, Spruance directed the vessel to evacuate its engine room. Spruance disabled Touska’s propulsion by firing several rounds from the destroyer’s 5-inch MK 45 Gun into Touska’s engine room. U.S. Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit later boarded the non-compliant vessel, which remains in U.S. custody,”
The USS USS Spruance carried out the interception as the vessel was reportedly heading toward Bandar Abbas.
US Justifies Action Under Naval Blockade
The interception comes days after the United States imposed a naval blockade targeting vessels linked to Iran. Washington had warned that ships attempting to move to or from Iranian ports could face enforcement action.
US President Donald Trump confirmed that American forces now have full control of the vessel. “Today, an Iranian-flagged cargo ship named TOUSKA… tried to get past our Naval Blockade, and it did not go well for them,” he said.
He added: “Right now, U.S. Marines have custody of the vessel… We have full custody of the ship, and are seeing what’s on board!”
Trump also claimed the vessel was under US Treasury sanctions due to alleged prior illegal activity.
Iran Calls Move ‘Piracy’, Warns of Retaliation
Iran strongly condemned the action, with its Hazrat Khatam al-Anbiya military headquarters accusing the US of breaching a ceasefire and engaging in aggression.
“The aggressive America, by violating the ceasefire and committing maritime piracy, attacked one of Iran’s commercial ships in the waters of the Sea of Oman by firing upon it and disabling its navigation system by deploying several of its terrorist marines on the deck of the mentioned vessel”
The statement further warned: “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 seizure follows the collapse of peace talks in Islamabad, after which the US moved to tighten pressure through a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes.
CENTCOM noted that since the blockade began, at least 25 vessels have been redirected, underscoring the scale of enforcement operations in the region.
