U.S. forces seized a tanker in the open Indian Ocean on Thursday — not in the Strait of Hormuz where recent clashes occurred, the Pentagon said. The Guyana-flagged Majestic X, designated by the U.S. Treasury in 2024 for allegedly moving Iranian crude, was tracked between Sri Lanka and Indonesia en route to Zhoushan, China. The seizure came a day after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps captured two ships and attacked a third in the Strait of Hormuz, actions that have pushed Brent crude above US$100 a barrel.

What U.S. officials say happened The Pentagon released video showing U.S. personnel on the deck of the Majestic X after boarding the tanker in the Indian Ocean. In a statement, the department said the operation was part of efforts to "disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels providing material support to Iran, wherever they operate." The Majestic X flies the flag of Guyana and was designated by the U.S. Treasury in 2024 for allegedly moving Iranian crude in violation of U.S. sanctions. Ship-tracking data placed the vessel roughly between Sri Lanka and Indonesia, a similar area where another sanctioned tanker, the Tifani, was previously taken into custody. Both tankers had been traversing the wider Indian Ocean rather than the narrower waters of the Strait of Hormuz. How this ties to the Strait of Hormuz incidents Iran said its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized two container ships and fired on a third in the Strait of Hormuz a day before the Majestic X was taken, part of a period of escalating exchanges between Tehran and the United States and its partners. The strait is a key chokepoint for flows of oil from the Gulf to Asia and Europe, so disruptions there have immediate market effects. Economic ripple effects - Brent crude rose above US$100 per barrel as the wider disruptions have raised concerns about supply. - EU officials warned the interruptions to shipping are costing Europe hundreds of millions of dollars per day and could have lasting effects for consumers and businesses. - Higher oil prices typically raise fuel and transportation costs and push up prices for food and other goods; importers and consumers feel the strain most quickly. - Canada, which imports some refined fuels and trades extensively with affected regions, could face higher costs and disrupted shipping schedules. Political and diplomatic stakes The seizure heightens a standoff between Washington and Tehran that is spreading beyond the Gulf. The United States described the action as maritime law enforcement targeting networks that move oil in defiance of sanctions; Iran characterized its own recent seizures and attacks as responses to perceived hostile acts. The Majestic X was bound for Zhoushan, China, introducing a potential diplomatic complication between Washington and Beijing given trade and strategic tensions. Legal and operational questions remain about jurisdiction and the wider reach of maritime interdictions. Officials on all sides are likely to face scrutiny over the legal basis and operational procedures used in such seizures.

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"We will continue global maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels providing material support to Iran, wherever they operate," the Pentagon said.

This article was created with AI assistance.