The high stakes confrontation over control of the Strait of Hormuz between the United States and the Islamist Iranian regime took another step up the escalation ladder Sunday with the U.S. seizing an in-bound Iranian flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman that tried to run the blockade established last week by President Donald Trump following a short term ceasefire agreement in order to pressure the regime into agreeing to Trump’s terms for peace.
Trump said in a Truth Social post Sunday that the Navy stopped the ship by “blowing a hole in the engine room” and that Marines were in control of the ship.
The seizure comes a day after Iran fired on ships trying to exit through the Strait of Hormuz.
In recent days, the Iranian regime has sent conflicting signals on whether the Strait is open. The Iranian foreign ministerdeclared the strait openon Friday, but the IRGCdeclared the strait closedon Saturday. The U.S. blockade applies only to ships entering and leaving Iranian ports.
Negotiations between the U.S. and Iran were scheduled to resume in Pakistan this week. Iran said on Sunday that it would not send a delegation, while the U.S. went back and forth on whether Vice President JD Vance would once again head the U.S. delegation. The two-week ceasefire agreement expires Tuesday (or Wednesday). A report by a Saudi journalist says a delegation from Iran arrived in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Sunday. Pakistan’s prime minister confirmed the delegation’s departurein a post on X.
Trump announced the seizure of the Iranian cargo ship in a post to Truth Social.”
“Today, an Iranian-flagged cargo ship named TOUSKA, nearly 900 feet long and weighing almost as much as an aircraft carrier, tried to get past our Naval Blockade, and it did not go well for them. The U.S. 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. Right now, U.S. Marines have custody of the vessel. The TOUSKA is under U.S. Treasury Sanctions because of their prior history of illegal activity. We have full custody of the ship, and are seeing what’s on board! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
Tanker Tracker reported the seized cargo ship was bound from Malaysia, noting an empty Iranian ship was allowed to pass through the blockade: “Iranian-flagged container ship TOUSKA (9328900) departed Port Klang, Malaysia, laden with cargo according to her AIS-reported draft depth. She passed the US Navy blockade line and was intercepted. Meanwhile, we spotted an empty Iranian-flagged VLCC (Very Large Crude Carrier) enter successfully.”
Iranian-flagged container ship TOUSKA (9328900) departed Port Klang, Malaysia laden with cargo according to her AIS-reported draft depth. She passed the US Navy blockade line and was intercepted. Meanwhile, we spotted an empty Iranian-flagged VLCC enter successfully.#OOTThttps://t.co/iYZgXbZKlopic.twitter.com/ScJU6KMYaU
— TankerTrackers.com, Inc. (@TankerTrackers)April 19, 2026
Source: The Gateway Pundit
