U.S. Seizes Iranian-Flagged Ship in Gulf of Oman

The United States Navy seized an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel, the TOUSKA, in the Gulf of Oman on Sunday, according to U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump said the interception was carried out by the USS Spruance, a guided-missile destroyer, and ended with U.S. Marines taking custody of the ship after its engine room was disabled.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the TOUSKA as a vessel subject to U.S. Treasury sanctions tied to prior illegal activities. He said the ship was fired upon after it allegedly did not follow orders to stop, and that the boarding occurred after the vessel’s engine room was disabled.

The seizure came after the United States implemented a naval blockade on Iranian ports last week, as described in the source material. It also followed reports that Iran fired on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz earlier the same day, placing the incident within a broader set of maritime security developments affecting a key shipping corridor.

Trump’s account framed the operation as part of a widening confrontation between Washington and Tehran. The episode was described as an escalation of regional tensions, with the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz again at the center of events involving military forces and commercial traffic.

The timing also intersects with diplomacy. The incident occurred ahead of scheduled peace talks between U.S. and Iranian envoys in Pakistan, which Iran has reportedly rebuffed, according to the source material. Trump also issued a warning that if Iran does not accept U.S. terms, the United States could carry out strikes against Iranian infrastructure.