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Blockade Enforcement Outcomes
Comparison of vessels complying vs. those intercepted by force
Primary Sources
U.S. Navy Destroyer Blasts Iranian Tanker's Engine To Halt Blockade Runner
The U.S. Navy opened fire on and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman on Sunday after the ship attempted to bypass an American blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump confirmed the engagement via Truth Social, marking the first time force has been used to enforce the maritime restrictions he established just one week ago. The guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG-111) intercepted the M/V Touska as the 900-foot tanker transited the north Arabian Sea toward the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas at 17 knots. According to military reports, the encounter followed a six-hour standoff during which the Touska ignored repeated warnings that it was in violation of U.S. policy. The blockade, first announced by the president on April 12, targets vessels attempting to pay Iranian tolls using Chinese yuan or cryptocurrency. President Trump stated the Touska was already under U.S. Treasury sanctions for prior illegal activity. READ: Feds Sue 29 States As Massive Voter Roll Audit Uncovers Dead Names And Non-Citizens “The Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engineroom [sic],” Trump posted. He noted that the vessel is nearly as heavy as an aircraft carrier and that the engagement “did not go well for them.” Before opening fire, the USS Spruance directed the Touska’s crew to evacuate the engine room. The destroyer then used its 5-inch MK 45 gun to disable the tanker’s propulsion system. Following the strike, U.S. Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit boarded the disabled ship. “Right now, U.S. Marines have custody of the vessel,” Trump said. “We have full custody of the ship, and are seeing what’s on board!” The Pentagon described the Navy’s actions as deliberate and proportional. Since the blockade began, American forces have successfully intercepted or turned back 25 other commercial vessels. The Touska remains in U.S. custody as officials begin an inspection of its cargo. Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage. Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
New Details on How US Destroyer Shot Engine of an Iran Blockade Runner ...
By Jake Epstein You're currently following this author! Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email. USS Spruance fired multiple rounds into the engine room of an Iranian-flagged vessel trying to run a maritime blockade. US Navy photo 2026-04-24T14:13:45.482Z An Iranian-flagged cargo ship tried to bypass the US blockade in the Arabian Sea last weekend. To stop the ship, which ignored warnings, a US destroyer fired nine rounds into its engine room. The top American general shared new details about the operation on Friday. A US Navy guided-missile destroyer fired nine "inert" rounds into the engine room of an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel trying to evade the American military blockade in the Arabian Sea last weekend. Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, shared new details on Friday about the blockade incident, a rare use of force by the Navy against a non-combat vessel.Since the US launched its blockade of maritime traffic going in or out of Iranian ports earlier this month, 34 ships have turned around at the direction of American forces. However, one vessel did not comply with those orders, Caine told reporters at a briefing.M/V Touska, an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel, was sailing in the north Arabian Sea on Sunday, heading toward the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, when it was intercepted by the Navy destroyer USS Spruance.The Spruance approached the Touska at around 4 a.m. EST (middle of the day locally). The warship's crew issued multiple warnings to the Iranian-flagged vessel, informing the vessel that it was sailing in violation of the blockade and directing it to turn around, Caine said. The Touska ignored multiple Navy warnings over a six-hour period before the Spruance "executed a series of preplanned, carefully calibrated escalation options, including firing five warning shots," Caine said, adding that the cargo ship still didn't comply. US commanders then "authorized disabling fire" against the cargo ship.The Spruance warned the Touska's crew to abandon the engine room, and at around 9 a.m. EST (late afternoon in the north Arabian Sea), the US destroyer fired "nine inert rounds" from its 5-inch MK 45 gun into the engine room, disabling the vessel.The 127 mm Mk 45 deck gun, standard on the Navy's Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, fires a range of ammunition types tailored to different missions, including high-explosive rounds for direct impact, airburst, and area effects, as well as illumination and iner...
U.S. Navy Destroyer Disables Iranian-Flagged Cargo Vessel
American forces issued multiple warnings and informed the Iranian-flagged vessel it was in violation of the U.S. blockade. After Touska 's crew failed to comply with repeated warnings over a six-hour period, Spruance directed the vessel to evacuate its engine room.
US Navy destroyer 'blows a hole' through Iranian cargo ship that tried ...
The US seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship after "blowing a hole" in its engine room when it tried to break past the Navy blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, President Trump revealed Sunday.
