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News Topical, Digital Desk : President Donald Trump said on Monday that an Iranian cargo ship was intercepted and later seized in the Gulf of Oman after it tried to circumvent the US naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz.
The president said the USS Spruance, a guided missile destroyer, had given the ship a clear warning to stop, but when the Iranian crew refused, it was stopped by drilling a hole in the engine room.
Ship in US custody
According to the US President, the Iranian ship, Touska, was approximately 900 feet long and weighed approximately the same as an aircraft carrier. After being intercepted, the Touska is now in the custody of US Marines.
"The Tauska is under US Treasury sanctions due to a history of illegal activity. The ship is now in our full custody and we are investigating what is on board," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
According to Marinetraffic.com, the Touska, a container ship sailing under the Iranian flag, was in the Arabian Gulf six hours ago.
Only a few days left for the ceasefire to end
Trump's announcement of the seizure of the Iranian-flagged ship comes just days before a ceasefire between the two countries expires. This development further jeopardizes the already uncertain future of the talks, which are expected to take place in Pakistan.
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