US Navy Intercepts Iranian Cargo Ship ‘Touska’ in Arabian Sea, Enforces Naval Blockade

In a significant escalation of maritime enforcement, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that American naval forces intercepted an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel in the Arabian Sea on April 19. According to the official statement shared on social media, U.S. forces were conducting blockade operations when they identified the vessel, M/V Touska, sailing toward the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas. The guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) tracked and intercepted the vessel as it transited the northern Arabian Sea at a speed of 17 knots. U.S. forces issued multiple warnings to the crew, informing them that they were in violation of an active naval blockade. Despite repeated communications over a six-hour period, the Touska reportedly failed to comply with the directives. In response, the USS Spruance took decisive action, ordering the evacuation of the vessel’s engine room before firing several rounds from its MK 45 5-inch gun. The targeted strike successfully disabled the ship’s propulsion system. Following the disabling of the vessel, U.S. Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit boarded the cargo ship. The Touska is now under U.S. custody. CENTCOM emphasized that the operation was carried out in a “deliberate, professional, and proportional manner” to ensure compliance without unnecessary escalation. Since the commencement of the blockade, U.S. forces have reportedly intercepted and redirected at least 25 commercial vessels attempting similar routes. The incident underscores rising tensions in the Arabian Sea region, a critical maritime corridor for global trade and energy shipments.