Washington, April 22
A series of US ship seizures and maritime interdictions far beyond the Persian Gulf is marking a new phase in the conflict with Iran, as Washington moves to choke off Tehran's oil lifelines and test its strategic limits.
US forces on Tuesday (local time) seized a tanker in the Indian Ocean suspected of carrying Iranian oil, expanding operations well outside the Middle East, The Washington Post reported.
The move follows a broader directive by the Trump administration to interdict vessels believed to be part of Iran's so-called "dark fleet" used to evade sanctions and sustain its oil exports.
The seized vessel, capable of carrying about 2 million barrels of oil, was intercepted in open waters between Sri Lanka and Indonesia, according to the report. US troops boarded the tanker without incident, underscoring Washington's growing operational reach.
The maritime push is part of a wider strategy that includes a naval blockade of Iranian ports, enforced by US naval and air power. Officials say at least 28 vessels have already been ordered to turn around or return to port since the blockade began on April 13, according to Fox News Digital and The Wall Street Journal.
President Donald Trump has framed the campaign as a means to force Iran back to the negotiating table. He has said the blockade is a "tremendous success" and insisted that the United States now "totally control(s) the strait," referring to the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
The pressure campaign has extended alongside a fragile ceasefire, with Trump announcing he would prolong the truce while maintaining military readiness.
"I have therefore directed our military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able," Trump said in a statement on Truth Social.
Iran has reacted sharply to the maritime escalation. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the blockade as "an act of war," warning that targeting commercial vessels violates the ceasefire and international norms, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Tehran has also signalled it could respond militarily. Iranian-linked media reports have warned that the country may "break the blockade by force" if restrictions on its shipping continue.
The expansion of US operations into the Indian Ocean is particularly significant for regional security, bringing the conflict closer to major global shipping lanes and energy routes linked to South Asia.
The naval campaign comes as diplomatic efforts remain stalled, with Iran withholding participation in planned talks and demanding the lifting of the blockade as a precondition for negotiations.
The current conflict began on February 28 and has increasingly centred on control of energy flows and maritime chokepoints, especially the Strait of Hormuz, which carries a substantial portion of the world's oil supply.
- IANS
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