In a recent development, Iranian forces have taken control of an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, as confirmed by two U.S. military officials to Fox News.
The seized vessel, formerly known as the Suez Rajan, was previously embroiled in a contentious dispute between the U.S. and Iran, which culminated in the U.S. confiscation of over 1 million barrels of Iranian crude oil. Reports suggest that armed Iranian soldiers boarded the vessel on Thursday morning.
The U.S. and other Western naval forces have been engaged in a battle against attacks from the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen in the Red Sea for several weeks. However, until now, Iran had not taken any direct action, other than deploying one of its naval vessels to the region. The Houthis were recognized as a foreign terrorist organization by the State Department until February 2021, when this designation was rescinded by the Biden administration.
The U.S. Navy has successfully intercepted numerous missiles and drones launched by the Houthi rebels. Last month, U.S. Navy helicopters targeted and sank several Houthi small boats as they attempted to commandeer a trade vessel.
On January 1, Iran dispatched the Alborz, an Alvand class destroyer, to the Red Sea. The vessel, part of the Iranian navy's 34th fleet, has been patrolling the Gulf of Aden, the northern part of the Indian Ocean, and the Bab Al-Mandab Strait since 2015, as reported by Iran's Press TV.
This seizure by Iran occurred just a day after the Houtis initiated their most extensive attack on international shipping lanes in the southern Red Sea to date.
On the evening of January 9, the Iranian-backed Houthis launched one-way attack UAVs (OWA UAVs), anti-ship cruise missiles, and an anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen towards international shipping lanes in the Southern Red Sea. This attack coincided with the transit of dozens of merchant vessels.
According to a statement released by U.S. Central Command, the U.S. military presence in the Red Sea successfully prevented any injuries or damage. However, the ongoing attacks have prompted several international shipping companies to reroute their vessels away from the Red Sea, causing delays. Vessels are now required to navigate south around Africa if they choose not to sail through the Red Sea.
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