Apr 20 (V7N) — US President Donald Trump has said that an Iranian-flagged cargo ship was seized after attempting to evade a US naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz.

In a social media post, Trump stated that a US Navy guided missile destroyer ordered the vessel, identified as Tuska, to stop. When the crew allegedly refused to comply, US forces fired at the ship’s engine room to disable it. US Marines later boarded and took control of the vessel, initiating a search operation.

US military account

According to United States Central Command, the ship was en route to the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas and ignored repeated warnings for nearly six hours. The command also claimed that the crew failed to follow orders to evacuate the engine room.

Iran’s strong reaction

Tehran has strongly condemned the incident. Iran’s Supreme Joint Military Command accused the United States of violating a ceasefire by attacking a commercial vessel returning from China.

A spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters described the action as “armed piracy” and warned that a response would be forthcoming.

Rising tensions

The incident marks a further escalation in tensions between Washington and Tehran, particularly amid ongoing disputes over maritime security and the US naval presence in the region. Observers warn that such confrontations risk undermining already fragile ceasefire efforts.

END/SMA/AJ