U.S. Navy Seizes Iranian Cargo Ship in Gulf of Oman

On April 19, 2026, U.S. naval forces seized an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman after it attempted to breach a U.S. blockade near the Strait of Hormuz, escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran amid a fragile two-week ceasefire.

President Donald Trump announced the incident in a post on Truth Social, stating that the guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance intercepted the vessel, identified as the TOUSKA, which measures nearly 900 feet long and has a displacement comparable to an aircraft carrier. "The U.S. Navy Guided Missile Destroyer USS SPRUANCE intercepted the TOUSKA in the Gulf of Oman, and gave them fair warning to stop," Trump wrote. "The Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engine room." He added that U.S. Marines had boarded the ship and taken custody, with authorities now inspecting its cargo. The TOUSKA is subject to U.S. Treasury sanctions due to prior alleged illegal activities, according to Trump.

The seizure marks the second notable interception by the USS Spruance since the U.S. established the naval blockade days earlier, aimed at pressuring Iran over its nuclear...