JAKARTA - The United States military intercepted an Iranian-flagged merchant ship named Touska for attempting to break through the US naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman.
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the seizure of the ship.
"US forces operating in the Arabian Sea imposed a naval blockade on an Iranian-flagged cargo ship, which tried to sail to an Iranian port on April 19," CENTCOM said, as reported by ANTARA from Sputnik/RIA Novosti, Monday, April 20.
The Iranian-flagged vessel received a number of warnings about violating the blockade.
"After the crew of the Touska failed to comply with repeated warnings for six hours, (the missile destroyer) USS Spruance ordered the ship to evacuate its engine room. Spruance disabled Touska's propulsion engine by firing several 5-inch shells from the MK 45 gun into Touska's engine room," the statement continued.
After that, US Navy soldiers boarded the cargo ship. According to CENTCOM, the ship is currently under US control.
"Since the start of the blockade, US forces have ordered 25 commercial vessels to turn around or return to Iranian ports," CENTCOM said.
Previously, US President Donald Trump announced that US forces had intercepted an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman and damaged its engine room.
"Today, an Iranian-flagged cargo ship named Touska, nearly 900 feet long and weighing almost as much as an aircraft carrier, tried to pass through our Navy blockade; and it didn't go well for them. The US Navy's guided missile destroyer, USS Spruance, intercepted Touska in the Gulf of Oman," Trump said on Truth Social.
The US destroyer ordered the Iranian-flagged ship to stop. After the ship refused to comply, Trump added, the USS Spruance destroyer pierced the Touska's engine room.
"Currently, the US Marines are in control of the ship. Touska is under sanctions by the US Department of the Treasury due to their previous history of illegal activities. We have full control over the ship and are checking what is in it," Trump said.
On February 28, the US and Israel began attacking targets in Iran, killing more than 3,000 people.
Washington and Tehran also declared a two-week ceasefire since April 8 and continued talks with Pakistani mediation in Islamabad on April 11 which ended without results.
Although there have been no reports of a resumption of hostilities, the US has begun to blockade Iranian ports. Mediators are also trying to arrange a new round of negotiations.
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