‘Blowed a hole in the engine room’: How US forces seized Iranian ship ‘Tuska’ after six-hour standoff

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‘Blowed a hole in the engine room’: How US forces seized Iranian ship ‘Tuska’ after six-hour standoff – watch

US forces seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in a high-risk operation in the Arabian Sea early Monday, with dramatic visuals released by US Central Command (CENTCOM) showing sailors rappelling aboard the ship after it was disabled by naval fire.According to CENTCOM, the intercept occurred on 19 April when the guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance tracked the ship, identified as the M/V Touska, as it headed rapidly toward Bandar Abbas. The ship was accused of attempting to breach a US-imposed naval blockade of Iranian ports, part of broader tensions in the Gulf region.CENTCOM said US forces issued repeated warnings to the crew over a six-hour period, informing them that they were violating the blockade. When the ship failed to comply, the destroyers took decisive action.Also read: US seizes Iranian ship in Hormuz; Iran vows ‘swift retaliation’ – as we know it“Spruance disabled Tausca’s propulsion by firing several rounds from the destroyer’s 5-inch MK 45 gun into Tausca’s engine room,” CentCom said in a statement shared on social media.

Airborne boarding caught on camera

Following the attack, US Marines launched a coordinated boarding operation from the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli. Footage released by CENTCOM shows troops being flown by helicopter over the Arabian Sea before landing on the deck of the disabled ship.The images show the accuracy and speed of the attack, with Marines protecting the ship after it was stabilized. The crew was instructed to evacuate the engine room before being targeted.Also read: The moment America stopped an Iranian cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz CENTCOM confirmed that the ship is now in US custody after successfully boarding and seizing a “non-compliant” vessel.US President Donald Trump also praised this operation and described it bluntly on social media. He said the Navy had “stopped them in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engine room” and said the US military was now “looking at what’s on the ship”.It is unclear whether there were any casualties during the operation, and CENTCOM has not provided further details about the condition of the crew.

Tension has increased due to the hanging of the ceasefire sword

The incident is the first such blockade since the United States began a blockade of Iranian ports last week, and has already drawn a sharp reaction from Tehran.Iran’s Joint Military Command condemned the seizure as “piracy” and a violation of an already fragile ceasefire and warned it would respond. Iranian media reports suggest that drones were launched in the direction of US military ships after the incident.The timing of the operation has increased uncertainty over planned diplomatic efforts. President Trump had earlier announced that US negotiators would travel to Pakistan for a new round of talks with Iran, but Iranian state media indicated there were no plans to attend at this time.The standoff centers on control of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route through which about a fifth of the world’s oil supply passes. Iran has warned that it may continue to restrict access, signaling that “the choice is clear: either a free oil market for all, or risk significant costs for all”.

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