U.S. Marines Seize Iranian-Flagged Vessel After Six-Hour Standoff in Arabian Sea

20/04/2026

CENTCOM, Apr 20: U.S. Marines launched a helicopter-borne operation from the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA-7) to seize an Iranian-flagged commercial vessel in the Arabian Sea on April 19, following a prolonged standoff with U.S. naval forces.

According to officials, the operation began after the guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG-111) issued repeated warnings to the M/V Touska over six hours. When the vessel failed to comply, U.S. forces disabled its propulsion system, bringing it to a halt.

Marines then deployed by helicopter, rappelling onto the ship to secure control of the vessel without immediate reports of casualties. The boarding marked a significant escalation in maritime enforcement operations in the region amid ongoing tensions.

U.S. authorities have not yet disclosed further details about the cargo, crew, or the circumstances that led to the interception.