Marines seize Iranian cargo ship, Trump says
U.S. Marines took custody of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that tried to get past the U.S. naval blockade, President Donald announced Sunday afternoon.
In a post on social media, Trump announced that the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer the USS Spruance disabled the Iranian-flagged vessel Touska, a ship under U.S. Treasury sanctions, and fired a direct hit on it. The Spruance, one of the ships operating near or in the Strait of Hormuz, told the ship to stop and turn back, Trump said.
The tracking side MarineTraffic reported that the Touska was sailing in the Persian Gulf earlier on Sunday. In a statement Sunday afternoon, U.S. Central Command said the Touska was sailing towards Bandar Abbas, Iran. The Touska reportedly ignored several direct messages from the USS Spruance.
“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,” CENTCOM said in its statement.
Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit then boarded the Touska. They now have “full custody” of the ship, Trump wrote. It’s not clear what is next for the cargo ship and its crew. CENTCOM shared a brief clip of footage taken from the USS Spruance, showing the destroyer sailing near the cargo ship and eventually firing its guns at the Touska.
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It’s the first direct action against a ship by American forces since the U.S. announced its blockade for ships trying to leave or reach Iranian ports. The blockade was itself in response to Iran restricting access to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime route for oil and other commodities. The military has forced more than 20 ships to turn back prior to this. Yesterday ships from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired on two Indian tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran announcing 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 that sailors are authorized to fire warning shots at ships attempted to cross the blockade. He also noted that U.S. forces could board a ship and take it over “if need be.”
The Spruance is assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and has been operating in the Arabian Sea. It is one of more than a half dozen Navy destroyers sailing in that sea. Additionally, the USS Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group, carrying roughly 2,200 Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is in the area.
Update: 4/19/2026; This article was updated following U.S. Central Command’s statement on the incident.