“US forces intercepted and boarded the stateless vessel Majestic X, which is on a sanctions list, as it was transporting oil from Iran in the Indian Ocean", the US Department of Defense announced today.
A video released by the US military showed helicopters taking off from an expeditionary sea base (ESB) and deploying troops onto the Majestic X oil tanker.
The US military affirmed its commitment to enforcing global maritime measures, aiming to "disrupt illegal networks and prevent any vessel from providing material support to Iran, wherever they operate."
Iranian officials have not yet commented on the information.
The incident occurred in an area far from the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane where commercial vessels face a "double blockade." Tensions there remain high, even after the US extended a ceasefire to facilitate negotiation efforts with Iran.
On 21/4, the US Department of Defense announced it had intercepted a "stateless, sanctioned" crude oil tanker named Tifani, believed to be linked to Iran, in the area overseen by the Indo-Pacific Command.
One day later, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps deployed forces to seize two commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
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Location of the Strait of Hormuz. Graphics: Guardian |
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that at least three container ships were targeted while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on 22/4. One vessel reported being approached by IRGC speedboats and fired upon approximately 15 nautical miles northeast of the Omani coast, resulting in heavy damage to its bridge, though the entire crew remained safe.
Vu Hoang (According to AFP, Reuters, CBS News)
