US Destroyer Fires On An Enemy Vessel For The First Time In 38 Years

The last such incident occurred during Operation Mantis on April 18, 1988.

The U.S. destroyer USS Spruance fired on an Iranian vessel in the Gulf of Oman on April 19, 2026 - the first time in nearly four decades that a U.S. Navy ship has used deck artillery against another ship in actual combat.

According to analysts The War Zone, the incident was a watershed moment, signaling a U.S. shift from passively monitoring sanctions to actively enforcing a naval blockade against Iran.

Fire after six hours of warnings

The target was the Iranian cargo ship Tuska, which was attempting to break the blockade and was traveling toward Iran's coast. According to the U.S. side, the ship's crew ignored radio warnings and demands to stop for six hours.

The U.S. command then authorized the opening of fire. The destroyer used a 127mm MK 45 cannon, hitting the ship's engine room.

The U.S. military used so-called "deterrent fire": the crew of the Iranian vessel was given time to leave the danger zone, after which the ship was immobilized without sinking.

History repeats itself 38 years later

The last such incident occurred during Operation Mantis on April 18, 1988, when U.S. Navy ships sank the Iranian ship IRIS Joshan.

Analysts note the symbolism: 38 years later, the U.S. again used force against the Iranian navy in almost the same region, but in a different technological and political context.

Change in naval doctrine

The incident confirmed the effectiveness of shipboard artillery in modern operations, particularly for stopping ships within a naval blockade. In recent years, the US has relied more on missiles, but the Tuska situation showed that guns remain a versatile and economical tool.

After immobilizing the vessel, US Marines conducted a boarding operation and took control of the ship along with its cargo.

Tehran called the US action an act of piracy and a violation of the truce, threatening to retaliate in the Strait of Hormuz region.

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