WATCH | CENTCOM releases dramatic footage of US Navy firing on Iranian ship ‘Touska’

Washington: U.S. Central Command released video footage early Monday documenting the high-seas interdiction of the Iranian-flagged motor vessel Touska, which was disabled and seized by the U.S. Navy in the Northern Arabian Sea after allegedly attempting to bypass a naval blockade.

The footage, captured from the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance, includes audio of naval personnel instructing the Touska’s crew to evacuate the engine room before the destroyer’s Mark 45 5-inch deck gun fired three rounds into the vessel’s hull.

"U.S. forces operating in the Arabian Sea enforced naval blockade measures against an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel attempting to sail toward an Iranian port, April 19," CENTCOM stated in a post on the social media platform X.

The Interception

According to the military report, the USS Spruance intercepted the Touska as it maintained a speed of 17 knots while en route to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas. American officials noted that the vessel was informed it was in direct violation of the blockade and was issued a series of warnings over a six-hour duration.

When the cargo ship failed to comply, the Spruance took kinetic action to disable the ship's propulsion. Following the strikes on the engine room, U.S. Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit conducted an armed boarding of the non-compliant ship.

The Touska remains in U.S. custody, marking the first physical seizure of a vessel since the blockade was initiated six days ago.

Escalating Enforcement

CENTCOM defended the engagement as a "deliberate, professional, and proportional" response intended to ensure regional compliance with the ongoing embargo.

The seizure marks the tightening maritime net around Iran. Military officials disclosed that since the commencement of the blockade on April 13, U.S. forces have successfully intercepted and redirected 25 commercial vessels attempting to reach Iranian territory.

While previous encounters resulted in ships turning back voluntarily, the Touska incident is a significant escalation in the enforcement of Operation Epic Fury. The seizure comes at a critical juncture, with a fragile regional ceasefire set to expire this Wednesday and diplomatic efforts in Islamabad currently hanging in the balance.