U.S. says it seized tanker tied to Iranian oil

April 24, 2026

Summary

U.S. forces said they seized a tanker tied to Iranian oil smuggling after Iran captured two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

Why this matters

The new seizure underscored rising risks to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil trade. Continued disruptions there can affect energy prices, supply chains, and broader economic stability.

The U.S. military on Thursday said it seized another tanker linked to Iranian oil smuggling, a day after Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard took control of two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Defense Department released video it said showed U.S. forces on the deck of the Guinea-flagged tanker Majestic X in the Indian Ocean.

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

Ship-tracking data showed the Majestic X between Sri Lanka and Indonesia, near where U.S. forces earlier seized the tanker Tifani. The vessel had been bound for Zhoushan, China.

The tanker was previously named Phonix and was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2024 for smuggling Iranian crude oil in violation of U.S. sanctions on Iran.

There was no immediate response from Iran.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump extended a ceasefire while maintaining an American blockade of Iranian ports. It remained unclear whether talks previously hosted by Pakistan would resume.

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U.S. says it seized tanker tied to Iranian oil

The seizure followed a day of attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran targeted three cargo ships and captured two of them.

Full story +

The U.S. military on Thursday said it seized another tanker linked to Iranian oil smuggling, a day after Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard took control of two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Defense Department released video it said showed U.S. forces on the deck of the Guinea-flagged tanker Majestic X in the Indian Ocean.

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

Ship-tracking data showed the Majestic X between Sri Lanka and Indonesia, near where U.S. forces earlier seized the tanker Tifani. The vessel had been bound for Zhoushan, China.

The tanker was previously named Phonix and was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2024 for smuggling Iranian crude oil in violation of U.S. sanctions on Iran.

There was no immediate response from Iran.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump extended a ceasefire while maintaining an American blockade of Iranian ports. It remained unclear whether talks previously hosted by Pakistan would resume.
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