The US Central Command (CENTCOM) released video footage on April 26, 2026, showing the USS Spruance firing on the Iranian-flagged cargo vessel M/V Touska in the Gulf of Oman.
According to CENTCOM, the guided-missile destroyer intercepted the Touska after it attempted to breach a US-imposed naval blockade while en route to Bandar Abbas via the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM stated that the vessel’s crew failed to comply with repeated warnings over a six-hour period. In response, the Spruance directed the Touska to evacuate its engine room before disabling its propulsion by firing several rounds from its 5-inch Mk 45 gun into the engine space.
Following the disabling of the vessel, a team from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit boarded the Touska and seized control of the ship.
The incident marks one of the first publicly documented uses of lethal force by a US warship against a commercial vessel in the region since the reimposition of maritime restrictions on Iranian-linked shipping in early 2026.
CENTCOM did not disclose the cargo aboard the Touska or the specific nature of the blockade it was alleged to have violated, citing operational security.
The Iranian government has not issued an official response to the incident as of the time of the video’s release.
US naval forces in the Central Command area of responsibility continue to enforce maritime interception operations under existing sanctions regimes, with rules of engagement permitting the leverage of force to compel compliance after non-lethal measures have been exhausted.
