Trump Claims US Marines Seized Iranian-Flagged Vessel TOUSKA After Hormuz Blockade Incident

Tehran: President Donald Trump has said that United States forces have taken custody of an Iranian-flagged vessel after it allegedly tried to run a US blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on Truth Social, he stated that US Marines now control the ship following an interception in the Gulf of Oman. According to Trump, the guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance intercepted the vessel, named the TOUSKA, and issued warnings for it to stop. 

In his post on X, the US President wrote that the Iranian crew “refused to listen", adding that the Navy vessel then “stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engine room".  

Trump added that the TOUSKA is already subject to US Treasury sanctions “because of their prior history of illegal activity". He said US forces now have “full custody of the ship, and are seeing what’s on board.” As of Sunday afternoon, there had been no immediate comment from Iranian officials regarding the claim.  

Trump Details Interception In Gulf Of Oman

In his social media statement, Trump set out a step-by-step account of the incident. He said the USS Spruance located the TOUSKA in the Gulf of Oman as it attempted to get through what he described as a US blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. After what he called a “fair warning to stop” was ignored, he said the Navy took direct action.  

“The US Navy Guided Missile Destroyer USS SPRUANCE intercepted the TOUSKA in the Gulf of Oman, and gave them fair warning to stop. The Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engineroom,” the post read.  

Trump went on to say that US Marines had subsequently boarded and secured the vessel. He asserted that the ship was already listed under US Treasury sanctions, linking that to what he described as a record of illegal activity. The post concluded with, “We have full custody of the ship, and are seeing what’s on board!”  

No Iranian Response Yet

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, with a major share of global oil shipments passing through it. Any confrontation there tends to raise immediate concerns over shipping security and regional stability. The Gulf of Oman, where Trump said the interception took place, lies just outside the strait and has seen several high-profile incidents in recent years.  

There has been no confirmation of Trump’s account from the Pentagon, US Central Command, or the Navy at the time of writing. Iran’s government and its state media had also not issued any response. In the absence of independent verification, it remains unclear when the alleged interception occurred, the condition of the crew, or what cargo the TOUSKA may be carrying.  

For sailors and commercial operators in the region, the claim adds to an atmosphere of uncertainty that has persisted amid wider US–Iran tensions. The reference to a US blockade reflects Washington’s ongoing efforts to restrict Iranian maritime activity, measures that Tehran has consistently rejected as unlawful. Until further details emerge from official military channels or Iranian authorities, the full picture of what happened to the TOUSKA and what it means for the standoff in Hormuz remains incomplete.