USS Spruance Disables Propulsion of Iranian-Flagged Cargo Vessel Touska in North Arabian Sea

MIDDLE EAST — U.S. Central Command stated that U.S. forces operating in the Arabian Sea “enforced naval blockade measures against an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel attempting to sail toward an Iranian port” on April 19. CENTCOM identified the vessel as M/V Touska and its destination as Bandar Abbas.

According to the CENTCOM release, guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) “intercepted M/V Touska as it transited the north Arabian Sea at 17 knots enroute to Bandar Abbas, Iran.”

CENTCOM stated, “American forces issued multiple warnings and informed the Iranian-flagged vessel it was in violation of the U.S. blockade.”

The CENTCOM statement added, “After Touska’s crew failed to comply with repeated warnings over a six-hour period, Spruance directed the vessel to evacuate its engine room. Spruance disabled Touska’s propulsion by firing several rounds from the destroyer’s 5-inch MK 45 Gun into Touska’s engine room.

U.S. Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit later boarded the non-compliant vessel, which remains in U.S. custody.” Trump said the crew “refused to listen, so our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engineroom.”

CENTCOM’s release describes “repeated warnings” over a six-hour period. Trump’s post uses the phrase “fair warning” without describing the warning sequence.

According to CENTCOM, “American forces acted in a deliberate, professional, and proportional manner to ensure compliance," and said, “since the blockade’s commencement, U.S. forces have directed 25 commercial vessels to turn around or return to an Iranian port.”

Vessel and Sanctions Context

M/V Touska is a container ship (IMO 9328900, MMSI 422032600) built in 2008, sailing under the Iranian flag with ownership tied to Rahbaran Omid Darya Shipmanagement in Tehran and linked to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL).

The vessel was already subject to U.S. Treasury sanctions under programs including IRAN, NPWMD, and IFSR due to prior history of illegal activity.

Assessment:Touska’s OFAC listing predates this incident. CENTCOM has not publicly released cargo manifest findings, and no timeline for release of inspection results was identified. Whether OFAC will issue new designations tied to Touska’s cargo or operators was not stated.

Official Statements

• U.S. Central Command (April 19, 2026): “U.S. forces operating in the Arabian Sea enforced naval blockade measures against an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel attempting to sail toward an Iranian port, April 19. Guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) intercepted M/V Touska as it transited the north Arabian Sea at 17 knots enroute to Bandar Abbas, Iran. American forces issued multiple warnings and informed the Iranian-flagged vessel it was in violation of the U.S. blockade. After Touska’s crew failed to comply with repeated warnings over a six-hour period, Spruance directed the vessel to evacuate its engine room. Spruance disabled Touska’s propulsion by firing several rounds from the destroyer’s 5-inch MK 45 Gun into Touska’s engine room. U.S. Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit later boarded the non-compliant vessel, which remains in U.S. custody. American forces acted in a deliberate, professional, and proportional manner to ensure compliance. Since the blockade’s commencement, U.S. forces have directed 25 commercial vessels to turn around or return to an Iranian port.”

• President Donald J. Trump (Truth Social, April 19, 2026): “Today, an Iranian-flagged cargo ship named TOUSKA, nearly 900 feet long and weighing almost as much as an aircraft carrier, tried to get past our Naval Blockade, and it did not go well for them. 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 engineroom. Right now, U.S. Marines have custody of the vessel. The TOUSKA is under U.S. Treasury Sanctions because of their prior history of illegal activity. We have full custody of the ship, and are seeing what’s on board!”