US Seizes Iranian Ship after Navy Destroyer ‘Blew a Hole’ in Its Engine Room

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US Seizes Iranian Ship after Navy Destroyer ‘Blew a Hole’ in Its Engine Room

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) President Trump said on Sunday that a US warship “blew a hole” in the engine room of an Iranian cargo ship that attempted to get past the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and claimed that US Marines now “have custody” of the vessel.

“Today, an Iranian-flagged cargo ship named TOUSKA, nearly 900 feet long and weighing almost as much as an aircraft carrier, tried to get past our Naval Blockade, and it did not go well for them. The US Navy Guided Missile Destroyer USS SPRUANCE intercepted the TOUSKA in the Gulf of Oman, and gave them fair warning to stop,” the president wrote on Truth Social.

“The Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engine room. Right now, US Marines have custody of the vessel. The TOUSKA is under US Treasury Sanctions because of their prior history of illegal activity. We have full custody of the ship, and are seeing what’s on board!” Trump added.

US Central Command later released a video of the USS Spruance firing on the Iranian ship. CENTCOM said its forces intercepted the Touska while it was in the Arabian Sea on its way to Bandar Abbas, Iran.

“After Touska’s crew failed to comply with repeated warnings over a six-hour period, Spruance directed the vessel to evacuate its engine room. Spruance disabled Touska’s propulsion by firing several rounds from the destroyer’s 5-inch MK 45 Gun into Touska’s engine room. US Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit later boarded the non-compliant vessel, which remains in US custody,” CENTCOM said.

Earlier in the day, Iran’s Mehr news agency reported that the “IRGC Navy rapid reaction forces responded to the shooting at an Iranian commercial ship by American terrorist forces around the Sea of Oman and forced the Americans to retreat and flee.” It’s unclear whether the Mehr report refers to the same incident, since it didn’t name the Iranian vessel.

The incident comes after Iran announced it was reopening the Strait of Hormuz to commercial traffic following the declaration of a ceasefire in Lebanon, but Tehran quickly reversed the move because the US maintained its blockade of Iranian ports. Iran views the blockade as a violation of the ceasefire since a blockade is an act of war.

President Trump has been threatening major strikes on Iran if Tehran doesn’t agree to US demands for a deal, saying on Sunday that if there’s no agreement, the “whole country is getting blown up.”

This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com.

Businesses Can Claim Refunds for Trump Tariffs Declared Unconstitutional

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Businesses Can Claim Refunds for Trump Tariffs Declared Unconstitutional

(Headline USA) A refund system for businesses that paid tariffs which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled President Donald Trump imposed without the constitutional authority to do so is scheduled to launch Monday.

Importers and their brokers will be able to begin claiming refunds through an online portal beginning at 8 a.m., according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the agency administering the system.

It’s the first step in a complicated process that also might eventually lead to refunds for consumers who were billed for some or all of the tariffs on products shipped to them from outside the United States.

Companies must submit declarations listing the goods on which they collectively put billions of dollars toward the import taxes the court subsequently struck down. If CBP approves a claim, it will take 60-90 days for a refund to be issued, the agency said.

The government expects to process refunds in phases, however, focusing first on more recent tariff payments. Any number of technical factors and procedural issues could delay an importer’s application, so any reimbursements businesses plan to make to customers likely would trickled down slowly.

In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court on Feb. 20 found that Trump usurped Congress’ tax-setting role last April when he set new import tax rates on products from almost every other country, citing the U.S. trade deficit as a national emergency that warranted his invoking of a 1977 emergency powers law.

Although the court majority did not address refunds in its ruling, a judge at the U.S. Court of International Trade determined last month that companies subjected to IEEPA tariffs were entitled to money back.

Not all taxed imports immediately eligible

Customs and Border Protection said in court filings that over 330,000 importers paid a total of about $166 billion on over 53 million shipments.

Not all of those orders qualify for the first phase of the refund system’s rollout, which is limited to cases in which tariffs were estimated but not finalized or within 80 days of a final accounting.

To receive refunds, importers have to register for the CPB’s electronic payment system. As of April 14, 56,497 importers had completed registration and were eligible for refunds totaling $127 billion, including interest, the agency said.

System requires accuracy

Meghann Supino, a partner at Ice Miller, said the law firm has advised clients to carefully list in their declarations all of the document numbers for forms that went to CBP to describe imported goods and their value.

“If there is an entry on that file that does not qualify, it may cause the entire entry to be rejected or that line item might be rejected by Customs,” she said.

Supino thinks the portal going live will require composure as well as diligence.

“Like any electronic online program that goes live with a lot of interest, I would expect that there might be some hiccups with the program on Monday,” she said. “So we continue to ask everyone to be patient, because we think that patience will pay off.”

Nghi Huynh, the partner-in-charge of transfer pricing at accounting and consulting firm Armanino, said most companies claiming refunds will have imported a mix of items, and not all will qualify right away.

“It’s about having a clear process in place and keeping track of what’s been submitted and what’s been paid, so nothing falls through the cracks,” she said. “Each file can include thousands of entries, but accuracy is critical, as submissions can be rejected if formatting or data is incorrect.”

Patience with the process

Small businesses have eagerly awaited the chance to apply for refunds. Brad Jackson, co-founder of After Action Cigars in Rochester, Minnesota, said he starting compiling records and preparing to enter information into the system the minute CPB announced the launch date.

The company imports cigars and accessories from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Last year, it paid $34,000 in tariffs and absorbed much of the cost instead of raising customer prices, Jackson said.

Last spring, he had a two-week delay in a shipment due to a missing document, so he is being more careful with refund documents, he said.

“My main concern is the turnaround time,” Jackson said. “A refund process that takes several months to complete doesn’t solve the cash flow problem that it is supposed to fix.”

Will consumers see refunds?

Tariffs are paid by importers, and some companies pass on the tax costs to consumers via higher prices.

The system starting up Monday will refund tariffs directly to the businesses that paid them, which are not obligated to share the proceeds with customers. However, class-action lawsuits that aim to force companies, ranging from Costco to Ray-Ban maker Essilor Luxottica, to reimburse shoppers are winding their way through the U.S. legal system.

Individuals may be more likely to receive refunds from delivery companies like FedEx and UPS, which collected tariffs on imports directly from consumers. FedEx has said it would return tariff refunds to customers when it receives them from the CPB.

“Supporting our customers as they navigate regulatory changes remains our top priority,” FedEx said in a statement. “We are working with our customers as CBP begins processing refunds and plan to begin filing claims on April 20.”

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

FBI Arrests Iranian National for Arms Trafficking

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FBI Arrests Iranian National for Arms Trafficking

(Headline USA) A 44-year-old Los Angeles woman from Iran was arrested Saturday night at Los Angeles International Airport on suspicion of helping Iran traffic weapons to Sudan, which is in its fourth year of a bloody civil war.

Shamim Mafi will face charges that she brokered the sale of “drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition” between Iran and the Sudanese Armed Forces, First U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said Sunday on social media.

A phone number for Mafi could not be located and it wasn’t known Sunday if she has an attorney who could speak on her behalf.

Essayli posted a photo of someone in an FBI jacket escorting a woman into the back of a sedan outside a terminal at LAX.

Mafi is an Iranian national who became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in 2016, Essayli said.

A criminal complaint dated March 12 alleges that Mafi and an unnamed co-conspirator operated a company in Oman called Atlas International Business through which weapons and ammunition were trafficked. The company received over $7 million in payments in 2025.

Separately, Mafi and the co-conspirator brokered the sale of 55,000 bomb fuses to the Sudanese Ministry of Defense, according to the court documents.

“In connection with the transaction, Mafi submitted a letter of intent to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (‘IRGC’) to purchase the bomb fuses for Sudan,” the complaint said.

Mafi is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on Monday. If convicted, she could face up to 20 years in prison.

The Sudanese civil war has created a humanitarian crisis in the North African country where food supplies are dwindling and millions of people have fled their homes.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Supreme Court to Hear Migrant Parole Case Wednesday

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Supreme Court to Hear Migrant Parole Case Wednesday

(, The Center Square) The U.S. Supreme Court will begin its final oral arguments sitting of the current term on Monday. The justices will hear several high profile arguments on various issues before the term ends in June.

On Wednesday, justices will hear arguments in Blanche v. Lau, a case to determine how immigrants are admitted into the United States. The case focuses on Muk Choi Lau, a Chinese national who became a lawful permanent resident in the United States in 2007. In 2012, Lau was convicted of trademark counterfeiting in New Jersey and fled the country.

However, once Lau returned, immigration officers admitted him under parole, a status that allowed him to be brought into the United States but not to remain permanently.

“It’s kind of a catch-all way that DHS officers can allow someone into the country,” said James Rogers, senior counsel at America First Legal.

Once Lau returned to the country on parole, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security began removal proceedings to take Lau out of the country. According to the Immigration and Nationality Act, an immigrant admitted on parole is required to prove that they are admissible into the United States.

“It’s a lot easier to remove an alien in that sort of situation,” Rogers said.

The justices will hear arguements over whether the government had to establish clear evidence when Lau returned to the United States that he had committed a crime or if his later conviction proved that point. The justices will also likely decide how much authority federal courts have when reviewing parole determinations.

Lawyers for Lau argued that the United States cannot use charges of a crime to make a determination on how an immigrant can enter the United States.

“No one thinks that a pending criminal charge is clear and convincing evidence that the defendant committed the charged crime,” lawyers for Lau wrote. “To the contrary, criminal charges are not evidence at all.”

Rogers said the court’s decisionmaking process in this case will be important because the Biden administration used parole to allow immigrants into the country. The Center for Immigration Studies estimated the Biden administration granted parole to 2.86 million foreign nationals.

“The parole statute is supposed to only allow a narrow exception where a DHS officer is allowed to admit aliens on a case-by-case basis if the DHS officer determines that there’s a significant humanitarian need or significant national benefit to letting the alien in,” Rogers said.

Rogers warned that the Supreme Court’s definition of federal review with parole designations could have a large impact on future administrations. He said Democrat administrations could allow large numbers of immigrants in on parole without needing to review the decision in court.

“This can make it significantly harder in the future to challenge left-wing administrations attempts to open the borders and use parole again to let in aliens because there would be no review of those decisions in court,” Rogers said.

Report: Secret Service Agent Made Porn Videos w/ OnlyFans Star

Ken Silva
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Report: Secret Service Agent Made Porn Videos w/ OnlyFans Star

(Ken Silva, Headline USA) A married Secret Service agent has been having an affair with an OnlyFans star and making pornographic videos with her, according to reporting from investigative journalist Susan Crabtree.

The agent, Michael Foy, reportedly works on former President Joe Biden’s security detail. The OnlyFans creator he’s allegedly having an affair with Brittney Jones, who’s also accused NFL star Stefon Diggs of having an affair with her while he was in a relationship with rapper Cardi B.

Jones posted several videos of her with Agent Foy, as well as a picture of his Secret Service credentials.

“My boyfriend lives a double life,” Jones reportedly wrote on Facebook. “Guarding the president by day [sic] then making adult videos with me by night. We see you Hannah Montana lol.”

In another video, Jones wrote the caption: “When your boyfriend works for the Secret Service,” in a salacious video of her stroking a spear.

The Secret Service has yet to publicly comment on the matter, which marks the latest in a series of public embarrassments for the agency.

Earlier this month, for instance, ABC News revealed that a Secret Service trainee was arrested for spying on his roommate, also an agent-in-training, with a hidden camera.

Before that, a Secret Service agent protecting former First Lady Jill Biden shot himself in the buttocks last month at the Philadelphia International Airport.

And earlier in the month, Crabtree reported that agent Myosoty Perez, who is a lesbian, has been suspended and is under investigation for marrying a foreign national—possibly an illegal immigrant—without declaring it. Perez was one of the agents responsible for nearly getting President Donald Trump killed at his July 13, 2024, campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

In January, journalist James O’Keefe published a shocking report about how a Secret Service agent assigned to Vice President JD Vance’s security detail leaked details about his travels to one of O’Keefe’s undercover reporters.

Also in January, a Secret Service recruit shot and killed a 16-year-old in Tamarac, Florida. The 16-year-old victim was identified as Orlando Wedderburn. A woman was also grazed. The Secret Service recruit, for his part, is claiming self-defense.

According to Crabtree, Secret Service Director Sean Curran is receiving internal criticism for not doing enough to eliminate the agency’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies, which were implemented starting in the Obama era.

Meanwhile, the agency is looking to hire 4,000 new employees by 2028.

Ken Silva is the editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/jd_cashless.

BREAKING: Eight Children Die in a Louisiana Mass Shooting

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BREAKING: Eight Children Die in a Louisiana Mass Shooting

(Headline USA) A gunman in Louisiana killed eight children in domestic violence shootings at two different homes early Sunday, police in Shreveport said.

It was the nation’s deadliest mass shooting in more than two years.

“This is an extensive scene unlike anything most of us have ever seen,” said Chris Bordelon, spokesperson for the Shreveport Police Department.

The victims ranged in age from one to about 14 years old, Bordelon said, and some of the children were related to the suspect. A total of 10 people were shot.

The gunman later died after a chase with officers who fired at the suspect, Bordelon said. The suspect stole a car while leaving the scene of the shootings and was followed by police.

Police did not release the name of the suspect but did say he was an adult male.

Officials said they were still gathering details at the crime scenes south of downtown Shreveport — the two homes and a third location.

It was the deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. since eight people were killed in a Chicago suburb in January 2024, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.

At a news conference outside the residence where one of the shootings occurred, officials appeared stunned, requesting patience and prayers from the community as they sorted through multiple crime scenes.

“I just don’t know what to say, my heart is just taken aback,” Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said. “I cannot begin to imagine how such an event could occur.”

“This is a tragic situation — maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had,” said Tom Arceneaux, mayor of the city in northwestern Louisiana with about 180,000 residents. “It’s a terrible morning.”

Louisiana State Police say their detectives have been asked by Shreveport police to investigate. In a statement, state police say no officers were harmed in the shooting that involved an officer after a police pursuit into Bossier City on Sunday morning.

State police are asking anyone with pictures, video or information to share it with state police detectives.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said in a statement that he and his wife were heartbroken. “We’re deeply grateful to the law enforcement officers and first responders working tirelessly on the scene,” he added.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Rep. Mills Pressured Woman to Recant Assault Allegation, Records Suggest

Ken Silva
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Rep. Mills Pressured Woman to Recant Assault Allegation, Records Suggest

(Ken Silva, Headline USA) Records reveal that Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., may have pressured a woman to recant claims that he assaulted her and brandished a firearm.

The records, which include bodycam footage and documents reviewed by the Washington Post, show that a woman called 911 on Mills on Feb. 19, 2025. When DC police responded, the woman told them that “Mills had harmed her during an argument and forcibly removed her from his Southwest Washington penthouse apartment,” according to the Post.

The woman, whose name was withheld, also showed police bruises.

Police bodycam footage then captured the woman calling someone—apparently Mills. The woman reportedly said Mills “he wants me to say” that the marks on her body “were from our vacation and that I bruise easily.”

Police interviewed Mills later that day. The congressman reportedly tried calling then-Attorney General Pam Bondi. Police weren’t happy about that.

“I stepped toward you once, if I do it again it will be to put you in handcuffs,” an officer reportedly said. “If I say don’t make a phone call, just don’t do it.”

Police initially contemplated arresting Mills, but eventually decided to classify the incident as a “family disturbance”—something that doesn’t require an arrest.

“Initially there were some statements made but our witness is entirely recanting everything and has alternative explanations that are equally unprovable,” the lieutenant could be heard saying on the phone.

Police still sent an arrest warrant to the Justice Department. It’s not clear what happened after that, though Mills was never arrested.

The congressman denied the assault allegations, while the police declined to comment.

Over roughly the last year, Mills has faced two censure threats from Democrats amid personal and professional allegations of misconduct, all of which are currently under review by the House Ethics Committee.

The accusations include threatening to release sexually explicit material of an ex-girlfriend, possible assault and rumored financial misrepresentations in disclosure filings.

He’s also been involved in sketchy arms deals.  According to an explosive investigation by journalist Roger Sollenberger, Mills sold millions of dollars in grenades to a Ukrainian government firm now under investigation.

Ken Silva is the editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/jd_cashless.

Dem Allegedly Kissed Much Younger Staffer at Swalwell Party

Luis Cornelio
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Dem Allegedly Kissed Much Younger Staffer at Swalwell Party

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) One of the Democratic members of disgraced former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s so-called “Cool Kids Clique” is under fire following allegations he kissed a “much younger” congressional staffer at a party.

Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., a longtime pal of Swalwell, allegedly engaged in the encounter at a 2023 party hosted by Swalwell, the New York Post reported Friday.

The party, held to celebrate the start of that year’s August recess, was also attended by Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz. Swalwell, Gallego and Gomez have reportedly been part of a group known for frequent partying and drinking.

According to the Post, the staffer involved in the alleged make-out session did not work for Gomez but for another lawmaker.

One source told the outlet the aide “was sitting on the hood of the car and they were going at it.” The source was reportedly smoking a cigarette in front of Swalwell’s Washington, D.C., home.

“They were down the street a little bit. But it wasn’t that discreet,” the unnamed source added.

A second source said that “someone pointed it out” and that it took them “a second to recognize who it was.” This second source was waiting for an Uber.

In response to the allegations, a Gomez spokesperson denied that any such encounter occurred.

Meanwhile, the woman Gomez allegedly kissed declined to go on the record when reached by the Post.

Gomez’s team did not respond to Headline USA’s requests for comment.

Gomez is married to former Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Mary Hodge, a longtime political operative who in 2024 drew scrutiny after the city approved a controversial no-bid contract benefiting her.

The Post noted that House ethics rules do not prohibit relationships between lawmakers and staffers they do not supervise, nor do they bar extramarital conduct.

The controversy surrounding Gomez comes days after Swalwell resigned from Congress and suspended his gubernatorial bid in disgrace, following sexual misconduct allegations.

Gomez denounced Swalwell in a statement after the accusations came to light, claiming: “Today I learned shocking information about Eric Swalwell containing the ugliest and most serious accusations imaginable. … The congressman should leave the race now so there can be full accountability without doubt, distraction, or delay.”

Four women have accused Swalwell of misconduct, including sexual abuse, unsolicited images of his penis and unwanted advances. Swalwell has denied any wrongdoing but acknowledged “mistakes in judgment.”

Swalwell ally Gallego may also face scrutiny, as Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., has raised allegations that could prompt a Senate Ethics Committee review.

Letitia James Offers Bizarre Explanation for Not Releasing Tax Filings

Luis Cornelio
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Letitia James Offers Bizarre Explanation for Not Releasing Tax Filings

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Embattled New York Attorney General Letitia James broke with other top New York officials over her refusal to release personal tax filings.

James, a Democrat who has faced a grand jury indictment tied to alleged mortgage fraud, said Friday she would not release her tax returns and suggested the decision rested with her staff.

“They will make that determination,” James told the New York Post at a Soros conference on Friday. “You know the practice. You speak to the comms director.”

When reached for comment, James’s communications director, Alexis Richards, said the office “was not releasing the Attorney General’s tax returns.”

Richards added, “All are welcome to review her annual financial disclosure when that is released.”

Financial fraud investigator Sam Antar wrote on X that James’s decision stems from what he described as an effort to keep the public from seeing “that she committed tax fraud in connection with her fraudulent mortgages.”

Headline USA reached out to Abbe Lowell, James’s attorney, for comment or response to those accusations.

James’s actions stand in contrast to disclosures from other top New York officials, including Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who both released recent financial filings.

Hochul reported $1.9 million in income, while Mamdani reported $143,008, most of it from his state assembly salary. New York Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has also released his tax returns, the Post reported.

James’s decision comes as she faces ongoing scrutiny over allegations related to a Virginia property purchase.

A grand jury previously indicted her on two counts of bank fraud and false statements to a financial institution tied to a home in Norfolk, Virginia. The case was later dismissed on procedural grounds tied to the appointment of the prosecutor.

Reports from the legacy media have since indicated that a grand jury declined to re-indict her on the same allegations. However, Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte referred James for a second investigation in March, this time over allegations of insurance fraud

Lowell dismissed the allegations in remarks to the media, claiming: “Trump and his political enablers keep abusing their power to pursue a vendetta against her by trying to rename, refile, and repeat baseless allegations.”

FBI Terrorism Task Force Targeting Activists Who Tried Rescuing Beagles from Lab

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FBI Terrorism Task Force Targeting Activists Who Tried Rescuing Beagles from Lab

(Headline USA) About 1,000 animal welfare activists who tried to gain entry Saturday to a beagle breeding and research facility in Wisconsin were turned back by police who fired rubber bullets and pepper spray into the crowd and arrested the group’s leader.

It was the second attempt in as many months by protesters to take beagles from the Ridglan Farms facility in Blue Mounds, a small town about 25 miles southwest of the capital, Madison.

Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett, said in a video statement that 300 to 400 protesters were “violently trying to break into the property” and assault officers. He said protesters have ignored designated areas for peaceful protest and blocked roads to prevent emergency vehicles from entering.

“This is not a peaceful protest,” Barrett said.

The sheriff’s department said a “significant” number of people were arrested out of about 1,000 protesters at the site but did not give an exact total as they were still being processed as of the afternoon.

Protesters tried to overcome barricades that included a manure-filled trench, hay bales and a barbed-wire fence. Some protesters did get through the fence but were unable to enter the facility, where an estimated 2,000 beagles are kept, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.

“I just feel defeated,” activist Julie Vrzeski told the newspaper about three hours into the operation after no dogs had been successfully seized.

Activists later moved from the Ridglan facility to protest outside the jail in downtown Madison.

The group Coalition to Save the Ridglan Dogs had publicized plans to seize the dogs Sunday but launched its operation a day earlier. The X account of the group’s leader, Wayne Hsiung, posted a picture of him being arrested. Hsiung was interviewed in jail by members of the FBI’s joint terrorism task force, according to his supporters.

“They kept trying to characterize peaceful protestors as violent,” one of Hsiung’s supporters said in a video.

The sheriff’s department said a person who “recklessly” drove a pickup through the front gate of the property was arrested, “preventing a potentially deadly outcome.”

Protesters broke into the facility in March and took 30 dogs. Twenty-seven people were arrested on trespassing and other charges.

Ridglan has denied mistreating animals but agreed in October to give up its state breeding license as of July 1 as part of a deal to avoid prosecution on animal mistreatment charges.

On its website it says “no credible evidence of animal abuse, cruelty, mistreatment or neglect at Ridglan Farms has ever been presented or substantiated.”

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

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