San Diego-based USS Spruance ‘blows hole’ in Iranian ship, Marines take control

President Trump announced Sunday that a San Diego-Based warship fired on an Iranian cargo vessel that refused to honor the U.S. blockade.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the USS Spruance, a guided-missile destroyer, intercepted the Iranian-flagged container ship Touska in the Gulf of Oman and warned it to stop.

“The Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engine room,” Trump wrote in the social media post. “Right now, U.S. Marines have custody of the vessel.” 

Trump said in his post that the Iranian ship is under U.S. Treasury sanctions because of a history of illegal activity.

There was no immediate comment from Iran.

Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, and in response the U.S. is blockading ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports.

The news comes after Trump’s earlier announcement that U.S. negotiators would head to Pakistan on Monday for another round of talks with Iran. That had raised hopes of extending a fragile ceasefire set to expire by Wednesday.