The U.S. Navy has seized the Iranian-flagged cargo ship M/V Touska in the Arabian Sea near the Gulf of Oman after a six-hour standoff, according to accounts from U.S. officials and Iranian authorities reported on Monday. The destroyer USS Spruance reportedly warned the vessel repeatedly before firing on it, disabling its engine, and allowing U.S. Marines to board by helicopter. The ship was en route to Iran’s port of Bandar Abbas from China. Iran’s military condemned the action as armed piracy and a ceasefire violation. The incident coincides with a new U.S. naval blockade and heightened tensions over Strait of Hormuz talks, pushing oil prices higher.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.