US Navy seizes an Iranian-flagged ship near Strait of Hormuz and Tehran vows swift response

U.S. forces seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz on April 19, according to AP, Axios and Iranian media reports, in a move that raised the risk of a broader maritime confrontation.

AP reported that the seizure followed a U.S. order to stop the vessel. Iranian outlets later identified the ship as M/V Touska and said it was intercepted by USS Spruance. Axios reported that the vessel was taken into U.S. custody, while Iranian officials vowed a swift response.

The incident unfolded against the backdrop of a U.S. Central Command order issued on April 12 to blockade ships entering or exiting Iranian ports. CENTCOM said in that statement that normal transit through the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports would not be impeded.

The exact location of the intercept was described differently in early reporting, with references to the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman and the surrounding waters. The conflicting descriptions were not resolved in the materials reviewed.

It was not immediately clear whether anyone was injured or what cargo the ship was carrying. The episode adds to already high tensions over shipping routes that are critical to global energy traffic.