Iran is vowing retaliation after U.S. Marines seized one of its ships near the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. military released a video on Sunday showing a U.S. destroyer firing several times at a 900-foot Iranian cargo vessel during the operation.
U.S. Marines depart amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7) by helicopter and transit over the Arabian Sea to board and seize M/V Touska. The Marines rappelled onto the Iranian-flagged vessel, April 19, after guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) disabled Touska’s… pic.twitter.com/mFxI5RzYCS
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 20, 2026
President Donald Trump said the ship was attempting to bypass a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and ignored multiple warnings.
The incident comes as a ceasefire between the United States and Iran is set to expire this week. Trump told Bloomberg News it is “highly unlikely” he will extend the ceasefire.
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The United States is pushing for a long-term agreement that would require Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions. Details could be fleshed out during a potential second round of peace talks in Pakistan, though Iran has not formally agreed to participate. A U.S. delegation is expected to include Vice President JD Vance, envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Over the weekend, Trump warned that if Iran rejects the U.S. proposal, Washington would “knock out every single power plant and every single bridge in Iran.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Monday it has no current plans for another round of talks, though it did not explicitly rule out future negotiations. Iran’s president also said the country would not submit to force, underscoring deep mistrust of the United States.
