US forces board sanctioned Iran-related oil tanker in Indian Ocean

WASHINGTON -- The US Department of War said Tuesday that its forces had boarded an oil tanker previously sanctioned for smuggling Iranian crude.

Ship-tracking data showed the vessel located in the Indian Ocean, between Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

"Overnight, US forces conducted a right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding of the stateless sanctioned M/T Tifani" in the US Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility, the Pentagon said on social media platform X.

"International waters are not a refuge for sanctioned vessels," it further said.

"As we have made clear, we will pursue global maritime enforcement efforts to disrupt illicit networks and interdict sanctioned vessels providing material support to Iran, anywhere they operate," the Pentagon said.

The incident came after US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that US forces have intercepted and taken custody of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship named Touska, which was trying to bypass its naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman.

Iran has attacked US military ships in retaliation for the US seizure of its vessel, according to latest news reports.

Earlier, Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters warned that it will "soon respond" to the US "armed maritime piracy," according to Iran's Press TV.