Marines seize Iranian cargo ship, Trump says
Source: Task & Purpose
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U.S. Marines took custody of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that tried to get past the U.S. naval blockade, President Donald announced Sunday afternoon.
In a post on social media, Trump said that the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer the USS Spruance stopped the Iranian-flagged vessel Touska, a ship under U.S. Treasury sanctions, and fired a direct hit on it. The Spruance, one of the ships operating near or in the Strait of Hormuz, told the ship to stop and turn back, Trump said.
“The Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engineroom,” Trump wrote in his post. Marines now have “full custody” of the Touska.
The tracking side MarineTraffic reported that the Touska was sailing in the Persian Gulf earlier on Sunday. It is not clear how many Marines took part in the seizure of the cargo ship. U.S. Central Command has not issued a statement about the incident as of press time.
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It’s the first direct action against a ship by American forces since the U.S. announced its blockade for ships trying to leave or reach Iranian ports. The blockade was itself in response to Iran restricting access to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime route for oil and other commodities. The military has forced more than 20 ships to turn back prior to this. Yesterday ships from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired on two Indian tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran announcing it would reimpose “strict control” over the waterway in response to the U.S. blockade.
On Thursday, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said that sailors are authorized to fire warning shots at ships attempted to cross the blockade. He also noted that U.S. forces could board a ship and take it over “if need be.”
The Spruance is assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and has been operating in the Arabian Sea. It is one of more than a half dozen Navy destroyers sailing in that sea. Additionally, the USS Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group, carrying roughly 2,200 Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is in the area.
The post Marines seize Iranian cargo ship, Trump says appeared first on Task & Purpose.
Classification
Region
West Asia
Analytical Domain
Operational
Primary Category / Secondary Categories
Military Operations / Force Movement
Subcategory
Naval Engagement
SALUTE Report
Size
Not specified
Activity
U.S. Marines seized an Iranian cargo ship
Location
Persian Gulf · Strait of Hormuz
Unit
U.S. Marines, USS Spruance
Time
Sunday afternoon
Equipment
USS Spruancerifles with anti-drone smart scope
Summary
U.S. Marines seized the Iranian-flagged cargo ship Touska in the Persian Gulf on Sunday afternoon. The USS Spruance fired on the vessel to stop it after the crew refused to comply with orders. This operation marks the first direct military action against a ship since the U.S. announced its blockade in response to Iranian restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Key Facts
- U.S. Marines took custody of the Iranian-flagged cargo ship Touska.
- The USS Spruance fired on the ship to stop it.
- The incident occurred in the Persian Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz.
- The cargo ship was under U.S. Treasury sanctions.
- This is the first direct action against a ship by American forces since the blockade was announced.