US Central Command released a dramatic footage showing American Marines fast-roping from helicopters onto the deck of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman — the first physical seizure of a major vessel since the US imposed its naval blockade on Iranian ports.
The video, released by CENTCOM on X, shows the tactical sequence in full: Marines departing the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli by helicopter, transiting over the Arabian Sea, and rappelling down onto the deck of the M/V Touska.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 19, 2026
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The footage then cuts to the destroyer USS Spruance sailing alongside the massive cargo vessel, before firing its guns directly into the ship's engine room — the decisive act that brought the nearly 900-foot vessel to a halt.
"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," CENTCOM said in its statement.
Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit then boarded the vessel, which had been launched from the USS Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group.
US President Donald Trump confirmed the operation in a post on Truth Social early Monday morning. "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," he wrote.
"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... We have full custody of the ship, and are seeing what's on board!" he added.
The Touska is under US Treasury sanctions due to its prior history of alleged illegal activity. This appears to be the first instance of the US attacking and seizing a merchant vessel since it instituted the blockade of Iranian ports.
The vessel had departed Port Klang, Malaysia around April 12 and was headed toward Chabahar, Iran.
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Iran's Hazrat Khatam al-Anbiya military headquarters condemned the action, accusing the US of "violating the ceasefire and committing maritime piracy," and warned that "the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will soon respond to and retaliate against this armed piracy."
The incident comes as a two-week ceasefire window between the two sides is scheduled to conclude on April 22.
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