US president says his nation’s forces stopped cargo ship Touska by ‘blowing a hole’ in its engine room.
Published On 19 Apr 2026
US President Donald Trump has stated United States forces have seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that attempted to get past his nation’s naval blockade close to the Strait of Hormuz.
There was no rapid remark by Iran.
In a social media submit on Sunday, Trump stated the ship, named Touska, was warned by a US Navy guided missile destroyer within the Gulf of Oman to cease, however its “crew refused to listen”.
He added that the US Navy “stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engine room” and that US Marines had custody of the vessel, and have been “seeing what’s on board”.
Trump’s assertion comes amid a standoff within the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for a couple of fifth of the world’s oil, amid threats from Iran and a US blockade on ships heading to and from Iranian ports.
Earlier on Sunday, Iranian officers stated ships wouldn’t move whereas the US blockade – in place since April 13 – remained in impact. “It is impossible for others to pass through the Strait of Hormuz while we cannot,” Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated.
Iran had introduced the strait’s reopening after a 10-day truce between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah took maintain on Friday.
But Iran stated it will proceed implementing its restrictions there after Trump stated the US blockade “will remain in full force” till Tehran reaches a take care of Washington.
After a short-lived rise in transit makes an attempt on Saturday, ships within the Gulf as soon as once more stayed put, after experiences of vessels coming underneath fireplace mid-passage and being compelled to withdraw.
Trump’s assertion got here hours after he stated US negotiators would travel to the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, on Monday for doable talks with Iran aimed toward ending the US-Israel war on Iran.
That had raised hopes of extending a fragile ceasefire set to expire by Wednesday, however Iranian state media reported that Tehran had not agreed to a second spherical of talks.
