Iran ‘forcibly seizes’ commercial ship in Gulf

A commercial ship was allegedly seized by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in international waters in the Gulf.

The US Navy spokesperson stated that the vessel may have been involved in smuggling. The US 5th Fleet deployed maritime assets to closely monitor the situation but chose not to respond.

The statement did not disclose the identity of the commercial ship. It emphasized that US forces remain vigilant and ready to protect the rights of lawful maritime traffic in the critical waters of the Middle East.

Recent years have seen a series of incidents in the Gulf waterways, leading to accusations between Washington and Tehran, as these routes are crucial for global oil trade.

A day before this incident, the US Navy reported that it had prevented Iran from seizing two commercial tankers in the Gulf of Oman. The Iranian Navy had opened fire in one of the incidents near the coast of Oman. The Iranian vessel retreated when the US Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul arrived on the scene. The US Navy deployed surveillance assets, including MQ-9 Reaper and P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

Approximately three hours later, the US Navy received a distress call from the Bahamian-flagged oil tanker Richmond Voyager, which was transiting international waters toward the Arabian Sea, more than 20 miles off the coast of Muscat, Oman. An Iranian naval vessel approached within one mile of Richmond Voyager, demanding it to stop. Prior to the arrival of the USS McFaul, Iranian personnel fired multiple rounds from small arms and crew-served weapons.

Although the Richmond Voyager sustained no casualties or significant damage, several rounds hit the ship’s hull near crew living spaces. The Iranian navy vessel left when the USS McFaul arrived on the scene.

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