US President Donald Trump
US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the US Navy had forcibly seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship called the Tosca, after it attempted to bypass a naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz.In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: “Today, an Iranian-flagged cargo ship called Tosca… tried to bypass our naval blockade, and things did not go well for them.”Trump said that a US Navy guided missile destroyer in the Gulf of Oman warned the ship to stop, but it did not comply. “The US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Sprunce intercepted the Tosca in the Gulf of Oman and gave her 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 engine room.
Currently, US Marines are guarding the ship. TOUSKA is subject to US Treasury sanctions due to its past history of illegal activity. We have full custody of the ship and see what is on board!”
This announcement comes amid escalating tensions over the Strait of Hormuz and ongoing efforts to revive talks between Washington and Tehran.Click here for live blog updatesEarlier, questions were raised about Trump’s statement that American negotiators will go to Pakistan on Monday to hold another round of talks with Iran.
Meanwhile, Tehran has not confirmed its participation in the next round of talks.
Central Command issues a statement
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that forces operating in the Arabian Sea imposed naval blockade measures against the Iranian-flagged cargo ship Tosca as it attempted to sail towards an Iranian port.According to US Central Command, the USS Spruance intercepted the ship as it was transiting the northern Arabian Sea at 17 knots en route to Bandar Abbas, Iran.
The US said repeated warnings were issued over a six-hour period, during which the ship allegedly failed to comply with orders to stop.
“US Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit later boarded the non-compliant vessel, which remains in US custody,” it added.US Central Command said US forces acted in a “deliberate, professional and proportionate manner” and claimed that since the start of the blockade, 25 commercial ships had been directed to return to or return to Iranian ports.
“The United States is forced to retreat”: Iran responds to Trump’s claim of seizing a ship in Hormuz
Iranian state-linked media reported that its forces thwarted an alleged US attempt to seize an Iranian merchant ship in the Sea of Oman, presenting an account that contradicted claims made earlier by Trump.“American terrorist forces deployed in the waters surrounding the Sea of Oman and opened fire on an Iranian commercial ship to force it to return to Iranian territorial waters,” Al Jazeera reported, citing the semi-official Mehr News Agency.He added, “With the timely presence and rapid response of the naval units of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to support the Iranian ship, the Americans were forced to retreat and flee the area.” The report did not mention the name of the ship in question.
