US takes Iran-flagged ship into custody, Trump says

Axios
by Rebecca Falconer
April 19, 2026
1 min read

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The Bottom Line

President Trump announced American forces took an Iranian-flagged cargo ship into custody in the Gulf of Oman.

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American forces stopped an Iranian-flagged cargo ship, the Touska, in the Gulf of Oman after it attempted to bypass a U.S. naval blockade, President Trump announced Sunday. The USS Spruance "blew a hole in the engineroom" to halt the vessel after its Iranian crew refused warnings to stop. This action occurred as U.S. and Iranian officials were preparing for talks in Pakistan regarding a looming ceasefire deadline. President Trump also threatened on Truth Social to "knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran" if a deal is not accepted.

What's Being Done

U.S. and Iranian officials are preparing for talks in Pakistan regarding a looming ceasefire deadline.

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