The U.S. military released footage on Monday showing Marines boarding an Iranian cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman during an operation that took place the previous day, escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran and threatening already fragile negotiations.
The video, published by US Central Command (CENTCOM), shows Marines descending by rope from helicopters launched from the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli onto the Iranian cargo vessel TOUSKA.
Footage from the takeover of an Iranian cargo ship
(Video: CENTCOM)
The American takeover of the Iranian ship TOUSKA
According to CENTCOM, the operation began after the USS Spruance, a guided-missile destroyer in the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, disabled the ship’s propulsion system after it failed to respond to repeated warnings over a six-hour period.
US officials said the vessel had been placed under US Treasury sanctions due to prior alleged illegal activity. President Donald Trump said the destroyer “gave them a fair warning to stop” and that Marines ultimately boarded and secured the ship.
Iran condemned the operation, accusing the United States of violating a ceasefire and calling the seizure “maritime piracy.”
“The United States attacked an Iranian commercial vessel in the Arabian Sea in violation of the ceasefire,” Iran’s military said. “This is armed piracy. We warn that we will respond soon.”
Iran also claimed US forces disabled the ship’s navigation systems before boarding and accused Washington of escalating tensions in the Gulf region.
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US Marines seize Iranian cargo ship TOUSKA in naval takeover operation
(Photo: Hans Rosenkranz, Marinetraffic.com)
The incident has raised concerns among mediators that the confrontation could derail ongoing diplomatic talks. Iranian officials warned even before the seizure that continued maritime enforcement actions in the Strait of Hormuz could lead to withdrawal from negotiations.
The TOUSKA, an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel, reportedly departed Port Klang, Malaysia, about a week ago and was last tracked in the Gulf of Oman before being intercepted.
The operation comes amid heightened US naval activity in the region, including enforcement of restrictions on vessels linked to Iran in and around the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM said that since the start of the operation, US forces have ordered at least 25 vessels to alter course.
According to US military sources, the destroyer USS Spruance is armed with long-range naval guns and missile systems and is part of a wider US carrier strike group operating in the Middle East.
As tensions escalate, both sides have traded accusations, with Tehran vowing retaliation and Washington insisting the operation targeted a sanctioned vessel that ignored repeated warnings.