US Marines boarded an Iranian-flagged commercial vessel in the Arabian Sea on April 19 after a six-hour standoff, rappelling from helicopters launched from the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Monday morning.
The operation came after the guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance disabled the ship’s propulsion when it failed to comply with repeated US warnings, the statement said.
Iran's top joint military command, Khatam al-Anbiya, accused the US of violating a ceasefire by firing at one of Iran's commercial ships in the Gulf of Oman, vowing to retaliate, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-affiliated Tasnim News Agency reported on Sunday.
The incident involved an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that sustained significant damage and was taken into custody by the US Marines after it tried to get past the naval blockade.
According to a Truth Social post by US President Donald Trump, the ship was named Touska and was given a fair warning before a US Navy ship attacked it. "The Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engine room," he said.
Trump also mentioned that Touska is under US Treasury sanctions due to its "prior history of illegal activity."
The US Central Command confirmed the attack against the Iranian vessel, saying that it was performed by guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance, which intercepted the ship as it transited the north Arabian Sea at 17 knots en route to Bandar Abbas, Iran.
The ship was given a six-hour period to comply with the US, after which the American destroyer disabled the Touska propulsion system. US Marines later boarded the ship and took custody of it.
Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said that "the choice is clear" regarding the security situation in the Strait of Hormuz. "Either a free oil market for all, or the risk of high costs for everyone. Stability in global fuel prices depends on a guaranteed and lasting end to the economic and military pressure against Iran and its allies," he said.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi considers the recent US threats as "proof of America's lack of seriousness in diplomacy," the semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported on Sunday.
"The threats to Iranian ports, coasts, and vessels, threatening rhetoric, unreasonable demands, and constant contradictions are clear signs of America's ill will," Araghchi said.
His comments came during a phone conversation with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, during which Araghchi warned that the Islamic regime will "use all its capabilities to protect Iran's interests and national security."
Vessel fired at in Strait of Hormuz belonged to France's CMA CGM
French shipping company CMA CGM on Sunday confirmed that one of the ships that was the subject of gunfire in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday was part of its fleet, describing the incident as "warning shots."
The crew is safe, the company added.
"Iran decided to fire bullets yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz — A Total Violation of our Ceasefire Agreement!" Trump wrote on social media, adding that a French and British vessel were among the targets.
Radio transmissions revealed that two additional Indian flag vessels, also attacked by Iran in the waterway on Saturday, were first allowed to transit the Strait, according to a maritime intelligence company.
Also on Sunday, Iran's armed forces said that they had forced two tankers to turn back after issuing warnings, semi-official Tasnim news agency reported, saying this came as a result of the continuing US maritime blockade on Iran.
The vessels, sailing under the flags of Botswana and Angola, were forced to change course after what the report described as “unauthorized transit” through the strategic waterway.
According to Reuters, citing data from the shipping analytics firm Kpler, more than 20 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, the highest number of ships crossing the waterway since March 1.
Among the vessels that made it through on Saturday, five of them last loaded cargoes from Iran, ranging from oil products to metals. Three of them are liquefied petroleum gas carriers, with one each heading to China and India.
Panama-flagged tanker Crave, carrying LPG from the United Arab Emirates, is heading to Indonesia. Two of three tankers - Akti A and Athina - carrying refined products loaded from Bahrain are heading to Mozambique and Thailand, respectively. Liberian-flagged tanker Navig8 Macallister is shipping about 500,000 barrels of the UAE's naphtha to Ulsan in South Korea.
Additionally, Liberian-flagged Very Large Crude Carrier Fpmc C Lord is carrying about 2 million barrels of Saudi crude and heading for Mailiao port in Taiwan, Indian-flagged Desh Garima loaded with about 780,000 barrels of UAE's Das crude is heading to Sri Lanka, Vessel Ruby carrying Qatari fertilizer is heading to the UAE, and Bulk carrier Merry M is carrying petroleum coke loaded from Saudi Arabia to Ravenna in Italy.
Fraidy Moser and Danielle Greyman-Kennard contributed to this report.