Trump Claims US Forces Shoot and Seize Iranian-Flagged Ship in Gulf of Oman
US President Donald Trump stated that US forces fired upon and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship. The seizure occurred after the vessel attempted to pass through a US Navy blockade in the Gulf of Oman.
“Today, an Iranian-flagged cargo ship named Touska, nearly 900 feet long and weighing almost as much as an aircraft carrier, tried to breach our naval blockade, and it did not go well for them,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, as reported by CNN and AFP on Monday (20/4/2026).
“The US Navy’s Guided Missile Destroyer USS Spruance intercepted Touska in the Gulf of Oman and issued a warning to stop. The Iranian crew refused to comply, so our naval vessel halted them in their tracks by blasting a hole in the engine room. Currently, US Marines have secured the ship.”
Trump’s announcement comes as he accuses Iran of violating the current ceasefire agreement with its actions in this vital waterway route. Tehran has once again blocked the passage for most ships through the strait, citing US “breaches of trust”.
This incident occurs amid high tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas, which has been practically closed since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran seven weeks ago.
Iran briefly reopened the strait on Friday in recognition of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire in Lebanon, but closed it again the following day in response to the ongoing US blockade of ships sailing to and from Iranian ports.
Trump stated that Touska is under US Department of the Treasury sanctions “due to a history of previous illegal activities.” Touska is listed on the Office of Foreign Assets Control website as an Iranian-flagged container under US sanctions.
According to the latest available data from the Marine Traffic website, about six hours before Trump’s announcement, Touska was approximately 45 kilometres (28 miles) off the southern coast of Iran, near the city of Chabahar.
Another ship tracking site, Tanker Tracker, stated that Touska was sailing from Malaysia.