US Navy Seizes Iranian-Flagged Ship Trying to Evade Strait of Hormuz Blockade
USS Spruance disables 900-foot cargo vessel ‘Touska’ with gunfire after 6-hour standoff; Tehran vows ‘swift retaliation’ as ceasefire teeters
WASHINGTON — April 20, 2026 — The United States Navy has seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman after it attempted to breach the American naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump announced on Sunday, April 19, marking the first such interception since the blockade was imposed last week.
The vessel, identified as the Touska — a 900-foot cargo ship described by Trump as weighing “almost as much as an aircraft carrier” — was intercepted by the guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance as it transited the north Arabian Sea en route to Bandar Abbas, Iran . The confrontation followed a six-hour standoff during which the Iranian crew ignored repeated warnings to change course .
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“Today, an Iranian-flagged cargo ship named TOUSKA tried to get past our Naval Blockade, and it did not go well for them,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “The U.S. Navy Guided Missile Destroyer USS SPRUANCE intercepted the TOUSKA in the Gulf of Oman, and gave them fair warning to stop. The Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engine room. Right now, U.S. Marines have custody of the vessel” .
Video footage released by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) shows the moment before the engagement, with an American sailor warning over radio: “Motor vessel Touska, vacate your engine room. We are about to subject you to disabling fire” . The footage then shows the USS Spruance firing several rounds from its 5-inch MK 45 gun into the vessel’s engine room .
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According to CENTCOM, the Touska is under U.S. Treasury sanctions due to what officials describe as a “prior history of illegal activity” . U.S. Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit later boarded the non-compliant vessel, which remains in American custody. Officials said they are inspecting the ship’s cargo, though details have not yet been released .
Iran Vows ‘Swift Retaliation’
Iran’s military leadership condemned the seizure as an act of “armed piracy” and a violation of the fragile two-week ceasefire set to expire on Wednesday, April 22 . The Islamic Republic’s joint military command warned through state media that it would respond “soon” to what it described as U.S. “aggression” .
“The attack and subsequent boarding of the Iranian vessel by U.S. forces was a violation of the ceasefire and an act of maritime piracy,” Iran’s state-run broadcaster reported, citing military headquarters .
A source from the Central Command of the Hatam al-Anbiya, which oversees Iran’s military operations, stated through state media: “We warn that Iran’s Islamic Republic forces will soon respond to and retaliate against this armed piracy by the U.S. military” .
Iranian media later reported that Iran conducted drone attacks on U.S. military vessels in retaliation, though these reports have not been independently verified . The Islamic Republic also announced it has completely re-closed the Strait of Hormuz, with all ships or tankers passing through without Iran’s permission facing sanctions .
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The seizure triggered immediate volatility in global energy markets. Brent crude, the benchmark for two-thirds of the world’s oil, rose 5.33 percent to $95.20 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate gained 6.03 percent to $88.91 .
The Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil supplies normally passes during peacetime, has been effectively closed since Iran reimposed “strict control” on Saturday, April 18. Tehran cited U.S. “breaches of trust” over the naval blockade as justification .
The standoff has had devastating effects on regional shipping. According to Kpler, a maritime data firm, 19 vessels had transited the strait on Friday after a brief reopening, but by Sunday that number had fallen to zero — compared to a daily average of 138 transits before the war . Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, called Iran’s actions in the strait and its demand for payment for safe passage a “protection racket,” stating the crisis has blocked nearly 600 million barrels of oil .
Peace Talks in Jeopardy
The seizure has thrown into question the planned second round of U.S.-Iran peace talks scheduled for Monday, April 20, in Islamabad. Trump had earlier announced that his special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, would travel to Pakistan for further negotiations . However, Iran has signaled it will not attend, with state media reporting Sunday that the talks would not happen — reports that came before the announcement of the ship seizure .
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that U.S. actions, including “bullying and unreasonable behavior,” have led to increased suspicion that Washington will “betray diplomacy” . Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Pakistani counterpart that Washington’s demands in negotiations and its threats to Iranian ships and ports mark “clear signs” of America’s disingenuousness .
The two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran is set to expire on Wednesday, April 22 . Trump has threatened to destroy every power plant and bridge in Iran if Tehran fails to negotiate a deal soon, while Iran has denied conceding to several U.S. demands, including the end of its nuclear program and handing over stockpiles of enriched uranium .
Broader Regional Implications
The confrontation has also drawn India into the dispute. New Delhi summoned Iran’s ambassador after Iranian gunboats fired on two Indian-flagged merchant ships during the brief reopening of the strait — a serious breach given India’s status as a designated safe-passage country .
The escalating standoff threatens to deepen the energy crisis roiling the global economy and push the two countries toward renewed fighting that has already killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, nearly 2,300 in Lebanon, 23 civilians and 15 soldiers in Israel, and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen U.S. service members have also been killed since the conflict began on February 28 .
As of Monday, April 20, the Touska remains in U.S. custody, with officials continuing to inspect its cargo. The Pentagon has not yet released additional details regarding the crew’s status or whether any casualties occurred during the engagement. The world now waits to see whether Tehran will follow through on its threat of retaliation — and whether the fragile ceasefire can survive the week.
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