US Marines Seize Iranian Ship Touska Near Strait of Hormuz

US Interception of Iranian Vessel

The Iranian cargo ship, Touska, was intercepted by US Marines after a six-hour standoff in the Strait of Hormuz. According to reports from a news outlet, the vessel has a history of docking at Chinese ports. The US military tracked and boarded the ship, claiming it crossed a blockade line after ignoring several warnings. Iran has promised a prompt reaction to this incident. This marks the first interception since the blockade of Iranian ports commenced last week.

Owned by Iran Shipping Lines, the national maritime carrier of Iran, the Touska was previously known as Adalia and Sahand. It was placed on the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions list in 2019. The ship left Iranian waters on February 22 from Shahid Rajaee port and navigated through the Strait of Malacca in early March, reaching Zhuhai port in southern China on March 9. It remained in Chinese waters near Shanghai for at least 11 days before turning off its AIS transponder, only to resurface for a brief stop in Zhuhai on March 29.

In response to the seizure, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed hope that all involved parties would act responsibly, adhere to the ceasefire agreement, and avoid escalating tensions. The US military released footage of the operation, showing Marines departing the USS Tripoli (LHA 7) by helicopter to board the Touska. The operation took place on April 19 after the USS Spruance (DDG 111) disabled the ship's propulsion system when it failed to comply with US warnings.

CENTCOM

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Former US President Donald Trump stated that the US Navy destroyer in the Gulf of Oman effectively halted the ship by damaging its engine room, confirming that US Marines were now in control of the Touska and investigating its cargo.