U.S. forces seized an Iran-flagged tanker after firing on it in the Arabian Sea, a sharp escalation that comes as planned peace talks wobble and a two-week ceasefire nears its expiration.
The U.S. Navy disabled the M/V Touska on Sunday, knocking out its engines before boarding and seizing the vessel, according to the report. Tehran officials blasted the action as “armed piracy” and threatened retaliation.
The seizure landed as U.S.-Iran peace talks, expected to begin Tuesday in Pakistan, appear increasingly uncertain. Iranian state media reports have raised doubts about whether Tehran will show up, even as the fragile ceasefire is set to expire Wednesday with no announced extension.
President Donald Trump used the moment to project confidence, saying the United States is winning decisively and arguing that American pressure has left the Iranian regime reeling.
“I’m winning a war, by a lot. Things are going very well, our military has been amazing and, if you read the fake news, like the failing New York Times, the absolutely horrendous and disgusting Wall Street Journal, or the now almost defunct, fortunately, Washington Post, you would actually think we are losing the war”, Trump wrote in a post shared to Truth Social.
He claimed Iran’s leadership is shaken by the battlefield reality, despite what he called slanted coverage.
President Trump on TruthSocial: The Democrats are doing everything possible to hurt the very strong position we are in with respect to Iran.
Despite World War I lasting 4 years, 3 months, and 14 days, World War II lasting 6 years and 1 day, the Korean War lasting 3 years, 1… pic.twitter.com/zLCrKhPzVo
— Donald J Trump Posts TruthSocial (@TruthTrumpPost) April 20, 2026
“The enemy is confused, because they get these same media ‘reports,’ and yet they realize their navy has been completely wiped out, their air force has gone onto darker runways, they have no anti-missile or anti-airplane equipment, their former leaders are mostly gone, this has been, in addition to everything else, regime change!”, he added.
Donald Trump also pointed to the naval blockade as the central lever, signaling it stays in place until Iran agrees to U.S. terms.
Perhaps most important of all, THE BLOCKADE, which we will not take off until there is a ‘DEAL,’ is absolutely destroying Iran, Trump said.
He went further, claiming Iran was hemorrhaging cash under the pressure campaign.
Trump also said Iran was losing $500 million a day, an unsustainable number, even in the short run.
MORE ON IRAN: NEW: Iran’s President Issues Scathing Statement After US Seizes Tanker
In the same post, Trump accused major outlets of cheering against the United States and said the outcome is not in doubt.
“The anti-America fake news media is rooting for Iran to win, but it’s not going to happen, because I’m in charge! Just like these unpatriotic people used every ounce of their limited strength to fight me in the election, they continue to do so with Iran. The result will be the same, it already is!” Trump added.
The standoff over the Strait of Hormuz has remained a major flashpoint, with the blockade and the tanker seizure raising the stakes just as diplomacy appears to be slipping. With the ceasefire clock running down, uncertainty over next steps is also rippling through markets, pushing oil prices higher and adding fresh pressure to stocks.
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