US Military Redirects Three Iranian Tankers in Asian Waters Amid Strait of Hormuz Standoff

American naval forces have intercepted and diverted at least three Iranian-flagged vessels operating in Asian waters near India, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka, according to shipping and security sources on Wednesday. The interceptions come as tensions escalate between Washington and Tehran over control of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

The United States has enforced a comprehensive maritime blockade targeting Iranian trade, while Tehran has responded by attacking commercial vessels attempting to traverse the Strait of Hormuz, the critical chokepoint at the entrance to the Persian Gulf. Nearly two months into the conflict between the US and Israel against Iran, diplomatic efforts remain stalled despite an informal ceasefire agreement.

The blockade of the strait has severely impacted global energy markets, restricting approximately one-fifth of the world's oil and natural gas shipments and triggering an international energy crisis. In parallel military actions, US forces have recently seized an Iranian cargo vessel and an oil tanker. Iran, in turn, announced on Wednesday that it had captured two container ships attempting to leave the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz following direct fire on those vessels and another ship—marking the nation's first seizures since hostilities commenced.

According to reports from two US and Indian shipping sources, along with two separate Western maritime security organizations, American forces have diverted a minimum of three additional Iranian-flagged oil tankers in recent days. The US military has not yet provided an official statement regarding these interceptions.

Vessels Involved in Interceptions

Among the intercepted tankers was the Deep Sea, an Iranian-flagged supertanker carrying a partial load of crude oil. Ship tracking data from the MarineTraffic platform indicated the vessel was last observed near Malaysia's coast approximately one week prior to the interception.

The Sevin, a smaller Iranian-flagged tanker with a maximum capacity of one million barrels, was also intercepted while carrying approximately 65 percent of its cargo capacity. According to maritime tracking records, this vessel had last been detected off Malaysia's coast one month earlier.