US Navy Seizes Iranian Container Ship Touska; Tehran Vows Retaliation, Calls It 'Piracy'

The USS Spruance fired on and seized the Iranian-flagged container ship Touska (294 meters) in the Gulf of Oman on April 20, 2026, after the vessel defied the US naval blockade and ignored repeated warnings over a six-hour period while attempting to reach Iran's port of Bandar Abbas. The US Navy 'blew a hole in the engine room' and US Marines rappelled from helicopters to board and seize the ship. Trump posted on Truth Social: 'The Touska has been SEIZED. We told them not to try it.' Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vowed retaliation — stating 'once the safety of the families and crew of the vessel is ensured, the powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will take the necessary action.' Iran's foreign ministry condemned the seizure as 'piracy' and 'maritime highway robbery,' saying the vessel and its owners face US sanctions. The Touska seizure caused crude oil prices to surge 4–6%, with Brent crude jumping toward $116/barrel. The incident significantly complicated the already fraught Islamabad peace talks, with the April 22/23 ceasefire renewal deadline now in serious jeopardy.