US intercepts Iranian vessel in Hormuz, crew transferred to Pakistan

An Iranian-linked cargo vessel intercepted by the United States in the Persian Gulf has now been transferred to Pakistan, along with its crew, as part of a repatriation process, ABC News reported, quoting the US Central Command.

CENTCOM confirmed that 22 crew members from the container ship M/V Touska were handed over to Pakistani authorities on May 4. The transfer is intended to facilitate their return to Iran. An additional six individuals, identified by Iranian state media as family members of some crew, had already been moved to another country in the region the previous week.

US officials also stated that control of the vessel itself is in the process of being returned to its original owners following its seizure.

The ship was intercepted in April after allegedly attempting to breach a US-enforced naval blockade. According to Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the vessel failed to respond to repeated warnings issued over several hours on April 19. In response, a US Navy destroyer fired on the ship’s engine area to disable it.

Following the strike, US Marines boarded and secured the vessel without further escalation.

The incident underscores ongoing tensions in regional waters, particularly around enforcement of maritime restrictions and the movement of commercial vessels through contested areas.