US forces disabled and seized an Iranian container ship attempting to breach the naval blockade of Iran on Sunday, marking the first boarding operation since the blockade began.

The Iranian-flagged MV Touska was intercepted by the guided missile destroyer USS Spruance in the Gulf of Oman while en route to Bandar Abbas. Unidentified US forces issued a final communication to the vessel's crew before taking action. "Motor vessel Tosska, vacate your engine room. We're prepared to subject you to disabling fire," they said.

President Donald Trump confirmed the confrontation. He said US Navy ships fired into the vessel's engine room after the Iranian crew refused to comply with warnings over a six-hour period. "The Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy ships stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engine room," Trump said. The USS Spruance used its 5-inch/54 caliber main gun to disable the ship's propulsion system.

US Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit subsequently boarded and took custody of the disabled vessel, which remains under US control. The 294-meter container ship, weighing approximately 80,000 tons, is owned by Iranian Shipping Lines and has been under US Treasury sanctions since 2018 for prior illegal activity.

Host Sam Maglaniano said the seizure represents direct retaliation for Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz two days earlier. "This is obviously a retaliation against the attack on commercial shipping in the strait of Hormuz by Iran on Friday," Maglaniano said.

The US naval blockade extends from the Iran-Pakistan border to northeastern Oman, and US forces have directed 25 commercial vessels to turn around or return to Iranian ports since its implementation. Boarding a container ship like the Touska presents significantly more challenges than boarding a tanker due to container obstructions and exposure risks for boarding parties.

The disabled vessel now presents logistical challenges for US forces, including potential towing requirements and the difficulty of searching its container cargo at sea. According to Maglaniano, searching the vessel at sea would be nearly impossible given the container configuration. He argued the ship would need to be brought into port for proper inspection. Maglaniano said, "This is obviously a retaliation against the attack on commercial shipping in the straight of Hormuz by Iran on Friday."

Maglaniano said the operation demonstrates the US is willing to use force to enforce the blockade. "We're getting ready for a crazy Monday," he said.