USA-Iranian Ship/Seizure
USA-Iranian Ship/Seizure
Dateline : April 19, 2026/Recent/File
Location : United States
Duration : 1'12
Gulf of Oman - April 19, 2026 (Courtesy of U.S. Central Command - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of U.S. warship approaching Iranian-flagged cargo vessel, giving warning
2. Various of U.S. warship firing at Iranian-flagged cargo vessel
FILE: Strait of Hormuz - 2011 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland/Al-Arabiya/Persian language TV Stations outside Iran. Strictly No Access BBC Persian/VOA Persian/Manoto TV/Iran International/Radio Farda)
3. Iranian-flagged boat sailing through Strait of Hormuz
FILE: Washington D.C., USA - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
4. Various of White House
Tehran, Iran - April 8, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland/Al-Arabiya/Persian language TV Stations outside Iran. Strictly No Access BBC Persian/VOA Persian/Manoto TV/Iran International/Radio Farda)
5. Various of traffic, pedestrians, national flags of Iran
6. Military personnel
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Sunday that U.S. forces intercepted and took custody of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman, which Iran denounced as an act of piracy, vowing to retaliate.
According to CENTCOM, the guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance intercepted the vessel, identified as M/V Touska, as it transited the north Arabian Sea at 17 knots en route to Bandar Abbas, Iran.
CENTCOM said U.S. forces issued multiple warnings over a six-hour period, informing the ship that it was in violation of a U.S. naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz.
Spruance disabled Touska's propulsion by firing several rounds into its engine room. U.S. marines later boarded the non-compliant vessel, which remains in U.S. custody.
Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters on Monday warned Iran will "soon respond" to U.S. "armed maritime piracy", according to Press TV.
In retaliation for the U.S. seizure of its vessel, Iran carried out drone attacks on U.S. warships, causing the U.S. forces to retreat, according to state-run IRIB and the semi-official Mehr news agency.
Iran's official news agency IRNA said on Sunday that the country has rejected taking part in the second round of the peace talks with the United States, which were reportedly to be held in Pakistan soon.
On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded by launching waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the Middle East, and exercising tight control over the Strait of Hormuz.
A ceasefire was achieved between the warring parties on April 8, followed by lengthy talks between the Iranian and U.S. delegations in Islamabad, Pakistan, on April 11 and 12. After the peace negotiations in Islamabad collapsed, the United States imposed its own blockade on the waterway.