In the first such incident in the Iran war, a U.S. ship has intercepted a rogue enemy vessel in the Strait of Hormuz with force.
The USS Spruance, which was built in Bath Maine, fired several rounds at a cargo vessel’s engine room to cripple it, the Pentagon said Sunday.
“An Iranian-flagged cargo vessel was attempting to pass the naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz,” U.S. Central Command said.
American forces issued multiple warnings and informed the Iranian-flagged ship it was in violation of the U.S. blockade.
After the Iranian vessel failed to comply with repeated U.S. warnings over a six-hour period, Spruance ordered the engine room to be evacuated and then fired several rounds into it, CENTCOM said.
Spruance disabled Touska’s propulsion with rounds from the destroyer’s 5-inch MK 45 Gun.U.S. Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit then boarded the non-compliant vessel, which remains in U.S. custody.
“American forces acted in a deliberate, professional, and proportional manner to ensure compliance,” CENTCOM added.
The vessel is now in U.S. custody, and Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit later boarded the vessel to search what is on board, according to Stripes.com.
This is the first interception since the blockade of Iranian ports began last week, the Associated Press reported.
The U.S. military has been enforcing the blockade of Iranian ports and coastal areas since last week.
The effort consists of more than a dozen warships, over 100 aircraft, and a force of sailors, Marines and airmen numbering over 10,000, according to CENTCOM.
Since the blockade began, U.S. forces have directed 25 commercial vessels to turn around or return to an Iranian port, Stripes reports.
Bath Iron Works launched the 510-foot Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer Spruance on June 6, 2010.
The 9,200-ton ship last week ordered an Iranian vessel to turn around but no force was used, unlike in Sunday’s confrontation.
