Gambiaj.com – (WASHINGTON, United States) – The US Navy fired on and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that tried to bypass the US naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman, according to President Donald Trump, marking the latest escalation in tensions over the region’s waterways.
It came hours after Trump announced that US representatives are traveling to Islamabad, Pakistan, for negotiations with Iran.
The United States military has confirmed that one of its naval destroyers fired multiple rounds at an Iranian-flagged vessel accused of attempting to breach a U.S.-enforced naval blockade, further heightening tensions between Washington and Tehran.
In a statement issued Sunday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the USS Spruance intercepted the vessel, identified as the “Touska,” as it moved toward an Iranian port in violation of the blockade. The incident was earlier referenced on social media by President Donald Trump.
According to CENTCOM, the crew of the Touska failed to comply with repeated warnings over a six-hour period. The U.S. destroyer subsequently ordered the evacuation of the ship’s engine room before firing several rounds that disabled its propulsion system.
The military added that since the blockade began, U.S. forces have redirected at least 25 commercial vessels, instructing them to turn back or return to Iranian ports.
Iran swiftly condemned the action, describing it as an act of aggression. In a statement carried by state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), Iran’s military accused the United States of violating a ceasefire and engaging in what it termed “maritime highway robbery.”
Tehran further alleged that U.S. forces not only fired on the vessel but also seized it, destroyed its navigational equipment, and deployed troops onto its deck.
“The aggressor United States… attacked an Iranian commercial vessel in the waters of the Sea of Oman,” the statement read, warning that Iran’s armed forces would respond.
“We warn that the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will soon respond to and retaliate against this U.S. armed piracy,” it added.
The confrontation marks a sharp escalation in an already volatile maritime standoff, raising concerns about broader instability in one of the world’s most critical shipping corridors.
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