The US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Monday released a new video showing US Marine commandos boarding the Iranian-flagged vessel and seizing it after the latter tried to bypass the Washington-imposed blockade in the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend.
As per the video shared by CENTCOM, the marine commandos can be seen departing the US assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7) by helicopter and transit over the Arabian Sea to board and seize the Iranian-flagged ship M/V Touska.
Later, the marines rappelled onto the Iranian-flagged vessel and took over it after guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) intercepted while it was en route to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas.
U.S. Marines depart amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7) by helicopter and
transit over the Arabian Sea to board and seize M/V Touska. The Marines rappelled onto the Iranian-flagged vessel, April 19, after guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) disabled Touska’s… pic.twitter.com/mFxI5RzYCS
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 20, 2026
The Central Command had earlier shared another video showing the guided-missile destroyer firing at the M/V Touska vessel.
What Happened Over The Weekend?
Washington has said that American forces took custody of an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel that allegedly attempted to breach a US naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman, escalating tensions during an ongoing ceasefire period.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said the vessel, Touska, ignored warnings issued by the US Navy guided missile destroyer, USS Spruance.
“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,” Trump wrote.
He added that the USS Spruance “gave them fair warning to stop,” but the Iranian crew refused to comply.
“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,” Trump said, adding that the ship was under US Treasury sanctions “because of their prior history of illegal activity.”
Iran Vows Retaliation
Meanwhile, Iran’s military warned it would respond to the seizure, calling the US action “armed piracy.”
“We warn that the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will soon respond and retaliate against this armed piracy and the US military,” a spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam Al-Anbiya central command headquarters said, according to ISNA news agency.
Tehran further claimed that it carried out drone strikes against US military vessels in the Sea of Oman, hours after American forces intercepted and seized the Iranian-flagged commercial ship.
