Navy Destroyer Fires on Iranian Cargo Ship Defying Hormuz Blockade

The USS Spruance fired multiple rounds from its 5-inch gun into an Iranian cargo ship's engine room Sunday after the vessel defied a six-hour blockade enforcement in the Arabian Sea. The Iranian-flagged M/V Touska, nearly 900 feet long, was attempting to reach the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas when intercepted by the guided-missile destroyer.

U.S. Central Command ordered the Touska crew to evacuate the engine room before the Spruance "disabled Touska's propulsion by firing several rounds from the destroyer's 5-inch MK 45 Gun into Touska's engine room," according to Sunday's CENTCOM release. Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit subsequently boarded the vessel, which remains in U.S. custody.

President Donald Trump confirmed the encounter on Truth Social, noting the Touska "weighing almost as much as an aircraft carrier, tried to get past our Naval Blockade, and it did not go well for them." Trump added that "our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engineroom" after the Iranian crew "refused to listen."

The Treasury Department had previously sanctioned the Touska for "prior history of illegal activity," Trump revealed. "We have full custody of the ship, and are seeing what's on board!" he wrote.

The naval blockade involves 10,000 American troops, over a dozen warships, and more than 100 fighter and surveillance aircraft. The operation launched April 13 after failed peace talks between Washington and Tehran. Any vessels transiting to Iranian ports face interdiction, while ships avoiding Iranian destinations can still navigate the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran's military threatened immediate retaliation for what it called "armed piracy by the U.S. military," according to state media reports. "We warn that the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will soon respond and retaliate," an Iranian military spokesperson declared.

Tehran rejected new peace negotiations, citing the ongoing blockade and Washington's "excessive demands," Iranian state media reported. First Vice President Mohammadreza Aref warned on social media: "One cannot restrict Iran's oil exports while expecting free security for others. The choice is clear: either a free oil market for all, or the risk of significant costs for everyone."

The Touska incident marks the 26th commercial vessel encounter since the blockade began. CENTCOM reports U.S. forces have "encountered and redirected 25 commercial vessels" in previous enforcement actions, making Sunday's engagement the first to require weapons fire.

The escalation comes as tensions mount around a fragile ceasefire framework. Iran's threat of retaliation raises questions about whether the standoff will expand beyond individual ship interdictions to broader military confrontation in the strategically vital Hormuz chokepoint.