USS Spruance disables Iranian cargo ship M/V Touska
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- USS Spruance intercepted the Iranian‑flagged cargo ship M/V Touska in the north Arabian Sea at 17 knots en route to Bandar Abbas, Iran, on April 19.
- U.S. forces issued multiple warnings that the vessel was violating the U.S. blockade, and the crew failed to comply for six hours.
- USS Spruance directed Touska to evacuate its engine room and then disabled its propulsion by firing several 5‑inch MK 45 gun rounds into the engine room.
- U.S. Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit boarded the non‑compliant vessel, which remains in U.S. custody.
- U.S. CENTCOM reports that since the blockade began, 25 commercial vessels have been ordered to turn around or return to an Iranian port.
Why it matters: The action prevents the ship from delivering cargo to Iran, reinforcing the U.S. naval blockade and demonstrating its willingness to use force against non‑compliant vessels, while the vessel’s crew and owners lose the ability to complete the voyage and the ship remains under U.S. control.
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