US Blockade On Iran May Bring Back Prize And Booty

BusinessAerospace & DefenseUS Blockade On Iran May Bring Back Prize And BootyByJill Goldenziel,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Jill Goldenziel writes & consults on security, law, & business risk.Follow AuthorApr 25, 2026, 12:44pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.ARABIAN SEA - APRIL 20: (EDITOR'S NOTE: This Handout image was provided by a third-party organization and may not adhere to Getty Images' editorial policy.) In this handout photo provided by U.S. Central Command, U.S. forces patrol the Arabian Sea near M/V Touska on April 20, 2026, after firing upon the Iranian-flagged vessel that the U.S. accused of attempting to violate the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports near the Strait of Hormuz. (Handout Photo by the U.S. Navy via Getty Images)Getty Images Prize and booty sound like pirate talk. For lawyers and sailors, the terms have a technical meaning—although they have not been commonly used since World War II. On April 19, United States Marines seized the Iranian-flagged M/V Touska for violating the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports. The ship and its crew are now in United States custody. What happens to the ship now turns on whether the United States invokes a centuries-old body of law that has not been applied for 80 years—and has huge implications for the future of war. The Touska makes for a compelling case for the use of prize law because of its ties to both Iran and China, and the legal justifications for its capture. The ship has been sanctioned by the United States since 2018. At the time of capture, it was en route from Port Klang, Malaysia to Bandar Abbas, with its last port call made in Zhuhai, China. After failing to heed six hours of warnings in the Gulf of Oman, the ship was boarded and seized by U.S. Marines. The ship is currently in U.S. military custody and analysts expect the vessel to b...