U.S. President Donald Trump announced the interception and seizure of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship, the Touska, after it failed to respond to warnings from U.S. naval forces, according to multiple reports. The incident occurred as part of an ongoing naval blockade aimed at restricting Iranian maritime activity, according to the BBC and CNBC.

The Touska’s Seizure and Trump’s Remarks

Trump detailed the event on his Truth Social platform, stating that the nearly 900-foot-long vessel attempted to evade the U.S. naval blockade but was intercepted by the Navy. ‘We have full custody of the ship, and are seeing what’s on board!’ he wrote, according to the BBC. The ship is under U.S. Treasury Sanctions due to its ‘prior history of illegal activity,’ as reported by CNBC.

U.S. Central Command released footage showing a naval vessel intercepting the Touska, with a gun firing in the direction of the cargo ship. According to a post on X by Central Command, the Spruance destroyer fired several rounds from its 5-inch MK gun into the Touska’s engine room after warning the ship’s crew to evacuate the area. The crew ‘failed to comply with repeated warnings over a six-hour period,’ the post stated.

Escalating Naval Blockade and Diplomatic Tensions

The U.S. has been operating a naval blockade of ships entering and exiting Iranian ports since last week, according to CNBC; this move follows Iran’s earlier attacks on commercial vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil transport route. The blockade has intensified tensions. With Iran rebuffing a second round of peace talks led by U.S, and Vice President JD Vance, citing the ongoing blockade as a breach of the ceasefire agreement, according to the BBC.

Trump warned that if Iran does not agree to the U.S.’s terms to end the conflict, he would ‘knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran,’ as reported by CNBC. The conflict began with U.S. and Israeli strikes across Iran on 28 February, followed by weeks of attacks across the Middle East before a two-week truce was declared.

Broader U.S. Maritime Operations

In a separate development. U.S. forces intercepted another sanctioned oil tanker, the Olina, in the Caribbean Sea, according to ABC7 Los Angeles, as the vessel was seized by Marines and Navy sailors launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to control the distribution of Venezuela’s oil products — the Olina was flagged in Panama but listed as having a false flag, meaning its registration is not valid, according to U.S. government records.

U.S. Southern Command stated that ‘there is no safe haven for criminals’ and released unclassified footage of a U.S. helicopter landing on the vessel and personnel conducting a search. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described the ship as a ‘ghost fleet’ tanker suspected of carrying embargoed oil.

The Olina is the fifth tanker seized by U.S. forces in this broader effort, following the U.S. ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a surprise nighttime raid. The ship was previously sanctioned for moving Russian oil under its prior name, Minerva M.

The U.S. military’s actions in both the Gulf of Oman and the Caribbean Sea reflect an expanded strategy to intercept and seize vessels involved in illicit activities, whether related to Iran or Venezuela. These operations have raised concerns about the potential for further escalation in regional tensions.