US seizes first Iranian ship near the Gulf, what to know about Touska?

ALBAWABA - The United States Army captured the first non-military Iranian container ship "Touska" near the Gulf in the early hours of Monday.

It is worth noting that after the reclosure of the Strait of Hormuz by the Iranian army, the U.S. announced imposing a naval blockade on the waterway last Monday.

The incident comes hours before the expected second peace talks in Pakistan, as Washington sent negotiators to Islamabad for further discussions with Iran with the aim of ending the war.

Iran said the attack and the hijack on the non-military ship are considered an act of "piracy", and warned to respond.

Why did the U.S. capture Touska?

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and President Donald Trump allegedly said that the ship, called Touska, was hit after it refused to follow the U.S. military's instructions to withdraw from its planned passage through the Strait of Hormuz. 

According to CENTCOM, "American forces issued multiple warnings and informed the Iranian-flagged vessel [the Touska] it was in violation of the US blockade."

"After Touska's crew failed to comply with repeated warnings over a six-hour period, Spruance directed the vessel to evacuate its engine room," CENTCOM's statement further detailed, before the American destroyer fired at the Iranian ship.

The Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit climbed onto the Iranian ship and captured it.

^{U.S. Marines boarding and seizing the Iranian-flagged vessel M/V Touska after departing by helicopter from amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli in the Arabian sea on April 19, 2026. Photo by - / U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS / AFP}

What to know about Touska?

The container ship carries the Iranian flag, and it is 294m long and is 32.25m wide.

The Touska and its owners have been under sanctions issued by the U.S. Treasury Department and the US Office of Foreign Assets Control, amid other sanctions imposed on Iranian companies, businessmen and personnel. 

Touska owners are accused of helping Iran break sanctions.