U.S. Marines have reportedly boarded and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel in the Arabian Sea after it failed to comply with repeated warnings, according to USCENTCOM.
The operation took place on April 19 and involved Marines deploying by helicopter from the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli. They rappelled onto the vessel, identified as M/V Touska, after U.S. forces said it ignored instructions over a six-hour period.
According to the U.S. military, the ship’s propulsion system was disabled by the guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance before the boarding took place. The claims have not been independently verified, and there has been no immediate response from Iranian authorities.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the region, where maritime routes remain strategically sensitive and closely monitored by U.S. forces.