Defense

US military boards Iranian-flagged oil tanker in Gulf of Oman

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by Filip Timotija - 05/20/26 3:03 PM ET

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by Filip Timotija - 05/20/26 3:03 PM ET

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The U.S. military on Wednesday boarded an Iranian-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman suspected of trying to violate the U.S. naval blockade by sailing toward an Iranian port.

The Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit boarded M/T Celestial Sea, which sailed under the flag of Aruba and is over 120 meters long, the U.S. Central Command (Centcom), which oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East, said on social media.

The Marines released the tanker after searching and directing the vessel’s crew to change course, according to Centcom.

The U.S. military has continued to enforce the naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz and has so far redirected 91 commercial ships, per Centcom.

The boarding of Celestial Sea came a day after President Trump said he called off kinetic strikes against Iran in hopes of continuing negotiations with Tehran. The president said he made the decision on Tuesday after requests from Gulf allies.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned the U.S. and Israel on Wednesday that any new attacks versus Tehran would lead to an expanded conflict beyond the Middle East.

Iran has effectively choked off the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping waterway, and Washington has countered by enforcing the naval blockade against vessels attempting to reach or depart Iranian ports.

The near closure of the Strait of Hormuz has led to a rise in energy prices around the world and the U.S. has previously said that more than 1,500 vessels from nearly 90 countries are stranded in the Persian Gulf.

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