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US seizes another oil tanker linked to Iranian oil smuggling
23 Apr 2026

The United States military has seized another oil tanker linked to Iranian oil smuggling. The tanker, named Majestic X, was captured in the Indian Ocean.

The move comes amid rising tensions between the US and Iran after Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guards took control of two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Defense Department has released footage of US forces on board the Majestic X during its seizure, saying, "International waters cannot be used as a shield by sanctioned actors."

Majestic X was sanctioned by US Treasury Department in 2024
Tanker history

The Majestic X is a Guyana-flagged oil tanker that was previously named Phoenix. It was sanctioned by the US Treasury Department in 2024 for smuggling Iranian crude oil in violation of US sanctions on Iran.

Ship-tracking data indicated that the tanker was located in the Indian Ocean between Sri Lanka and Indonesia at the time of its seizure, similar to where another seized tanker, Tifani, had been headed.

Pentagon vows to continue global maritime enforcement efforts
Ongoing enforcement

The Pentagon has vowed to continue its global maritime enforcement efforts to disrupt illicit networks and vessels supporting Iran.

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

Iran has yet to respond to the seizure.