The US Navy spotted, contacted and seized an Iran-flagged ship on Sunday that was trying to bypass the blockade centered around the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Iran, according to President Donald Trump.
“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,” Trump said in a post shared on X.
“The U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance intercepted the TOUSKA in the Gulf of Oman, and gave them fair warning to stop,” he said.
“The Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engine room. Right now, U.S. Marines have custody of the vessel,” Trump added.
“The TOUSKA is under U.S. Treasury sanctions because of its prior history of illegal activity. We have full custody of the ship, and are seeing what’s on board!” he said.