Iran seized a Marshall Islands–flagged oil tanker while it was passing through the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, a U.S. official said, marking the first such interception in months in one of the world’s most vital shipping lanes.

Iran has not yet commented on the seizure. The incident comes amid rising warnings from Tehran following its 12-day war with Israel in June and U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

The vessel, the Talara, was traveling from Ajman in the United Arab Emirates to Singapore when Iranian forces intercepted it, according to a U.S. defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity. Flight-tracking data showed a U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton drone monitoring the area for hours as the incident unfolded.

Private security firm Ambrey said three small boats approached the tanker before it was forced into Iranian waters. The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations center separately described the event as possible “state activity.”

Cyprus-based Columbia Shipmanagement, which manages the Talara, said it had lost contact with the tanker carrying high-sulphur gasoil and alerted maritime authorities. “The safety of the crew remains our foremost priority,” the company said.

The U.S. Navy has previously accused Iran of targeting commercial vessels in the region, including limpet mine attacks in 2019 and a deadly drone strike in 2021. Tensions have intensified further since Iran-backed Houthi attacks disrupted Red Sea shipping during the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which one-fifth of global oil trade passes. The U.S. 5th Fleet continues to patrol the region to keep the waterway open.

Source: AP