Late on Saturday, the US military announced that it had intercepted an Iranian oil tanker in the Arabian Sea and forced it to return to Iran, as part of the naval blockade of Iranian ports

Late on Saturday, the US military announced that it had intercepted an Iranian oil tanker in the Arabian Sea and forced it to return to Iran, as part of the naval blockade of Iranian ports. In a post on the X platform, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said: 'Yesterday, Friday, the Sevan was one of 19 vessels belonging to the Shadow Fleet that the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned for transporting Iranian energy, oil, and gas products, including propane and butane, to foreign markets worth billions of dollars.'

The post continued: "Earlier today (Saturday), a US Navy helicopter from the guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney intercepted the ship (Sevan) in the Arabian Sea."The post concluded: 'US forces continue to enforce US sanctions and implement the blockade on ships entering or leaving Iranian ports in full. Since the start of the blockade, 37 ships have been diverted." 

Related : Two oil tankers were attacked in Iraqi waters today.

Escorting an Iranian crude oil tanker in the Indian Ocean,

Conversely, U.S. Central Command has stated that a U.S. Navy destroyer was escorting an Iranian crude oil tanker in the Indian Ocean, having attempted to violate its blockade. CENTCOM, which oversees US forces in the Middle East, said that it was enforcing the blockade across the region and beyond. Ship-tracking service Marine Traffic indicates that the Dorena (IMO 9569669, MMSI 422201300 - sailing under the flag of Iran )  was off the west coast of India on 18 April, which is the last time its location was broadcast

More than 30 vessels 

Centcom also named some of the more than 30 vessels directed to turn around or return to port as part of the blockade against Iran. Centcom denied reports that the two Iranian oil tankers, the Hero II (IMO 9362073, MMSI 422199700 - Sailing under the flag of Iran. ) and the Hedy, had broken the blockade, stating that the two ships were 'anchored in Chah Bahar, Iran, after being intercepted by US forces earlier this week'. According to Marine Traffic, the last time the ships' tracking systems pinged, they were both off the coast of Malaysia.

#Centcom # U.S. Navy destroyer#US military # the Sevan #Shadow Fleet#U.S. Treasury Department # helicopter #Iranian crude oil tanker# blockade #Hero II #Hedy,