The United States military intercepted at least three Iranian-flagged oil tankers in Asian waters, redirecting them away from positions near India, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka, according to multiple shipping and security sources.
The actions came as Washington intensified enforcement of its maritime blockade against Iran, further straining an already fragile ceasefire and heightening tensions across global energy markets.
Sources said the intercepted vessels included the Iranian-flagged supertanker Deep Sea, which was partially loaded with crude and was last tracked off Malaysia’s coast about a week earlier. Another vessel, Sevin, carrying roughly 65 per cent of its one million-barrel capacity, was also diverted after being sighted near Malaysia.
A third tanker, Dorena, fully loaded with approximately two million barrels of crude, was intercepted near southern India. The US Central Command confirmed that the vessel had been placed under the escort of a US Navy destroyer in the Indian Ocean after allegedly attempting to breach the blockade.
Shipping sources further indicated that a fourth vessel, the Iranian-flagged Derya, may also have been intercepted. The tanker had reportedly failed to offload its cargo in India before a US waiver on Iranian crude imports expired, and was last tracked off India’s western coast.
While the US military did not publicly detail all interception operations, Central Command disclosed that 29 vessels had been ordered to turn back or return to port since the blockade began.
The maritime crackdown coincided with escalating hostilities in the region, as Iran reportedly fired on vessels attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz and seized two container ships.
The strategic waterway, a critical chokepoint for global energy flows, handled roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supply. Its disruption triggered significant volatility in international markets and contributed to a deepening energy crisis.
Security sources said US operations increasingly targeted Iranian vessels in open waters outside the Strait of Hormuz, a tactical shift aimed at reducing risks associated with potential floating mines in the congested passage.
With limited signs of renewed diplomacy nearly two months into the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, the interceptions underscored a hardening stance at sea, even as ceasefire conditions remained uncertain.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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