US Officially Announces Shelling and Seizure of Iranian Cargo Ship... Cease-fire Violation Controversy

On the 19th (local time), the US Navy destroyer USS Spruance is pursuing the Iranian-flagged cargo ship Tuska, which attempted to break through the US naval blockade. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

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On April 19 (local time), the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees the Middle East region, announced that it had shelled and seized the Iranian-flagged cargo ship Touska after the vessel attempted to break through the US naval blockade. The crew members are currently being detained. The shelling of a civilian cargo ship belonging to the opposing party during a cease-fire period constitutes a cease-fire violation under international law, and the incident is causing growing controversy. Concerns are rising that a second round of talks may become difficult, as Iran has strongly protested and vowed retaliation.

CENTCOM stated in a press release, "The destroyer USS Spruance intercepted the Touska, which was sailing north in the Arabian Sea at a speed of 17 knots en route to Bandar Abbas, Iran." The statement continued, "The crew of the Touska was given repeated warnings for six hours but did not comply, so several rounds were fired from naval guns toward the engine room, disabling the propulsion system." CENTCOM added, "Afterward, Marines boarded the non-compliant vessel, which is now under US military detention."

Earlier, US President Donald Trump also revealed on his social networking service, Truth Social, that the Iranian vessel had been shelled and seized. He stated, "Today, an Iranian cargo ship named Touska, approximately 900 feet (about 275 meters) long and weighing as much as an aircraft carrier, attempted to break through our naval blockade, but it did not succeed." He continued, "The US Navy guided-missile destroyer Spruance intercepted the Touska in the Gulf of Oman and issued a legitimate warning to stop, but the Iranian crew did not comply, so our naval warship made a hole in the engine room to force it to stop."

Iran immediately protested the US military's announcement of the shelling and seizure of the Iranian vessel. Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, which oversees military operations within Iran, issued a statement saying, "The US military violated the cease-fire agreement by firing at an Iranian merchant ship in the Gulf of Oman. We warn that we will soon respond and retaliate against this act of armed piracy by the US military."

Experts point out that the US shelling and seizure of the vessel could be considered a cease-fire violation under international law and may become a source of future controversy. Under international law, a 'cease-fire' means a complete cessation of all acts of force during the agreement period. Harlan Ullman, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, told Al Jazeera, "What the United States did amounts to a declaration of war under international law and is something that should never be done first." He added, "Such violations of international law add further chaos to the already turbulent negotiations between the United States and Iran."

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