The U.S. military has intercepted at least three Iranian-flagged oil tankers in Asian waters redirecting them away from routes near India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.
Shipping and security sources confirmed the move on Wednesday marking a significant expansion of Washington’s naval blockade against Iran.
The blockade follows two months of conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran. While an uneasy ceasefire is currently in place the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed disrupting nearly 20% of global oil and gas supplies and fueling a worldwide energy crisis.
According to maritime security sources and ship-tracking data, the intercepted vessels are The Deep Sea: A supertanker partially loaded with crude oil and last spotted off Malaysia. The Sevin: A smaller tanker carrying approximately 650,000 barrels of oil. The Dorena: A supertanker carrying 2 million barrels, currently being escorted by a U.S. Navy destroyer in the Indian Ocean. The Derya: A fourth vessel also believed to have been intercepted off India’s western coast.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that its forces have now directed a total of 31 vessels to turn around or return to port since the blockade began on April 13. "The U.S. military has global reach," CENTCOM posted on X. "No ships allowed in or out of Iranian ports."
Security analysts suggest the U.S. is targeting Iranian vessels in open waters to avoid the risk of naval mines recently placed by Iran within the Strait of Hormuz. In retaliation Iran reported capturing two container ships on Wednesday their first such seizures since the start of the war.
