Amid escalating tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program, the U.S. Navy reported that Iran had seized an oil tanker flagged under the Marshall Islands in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday.

Identified as the Advantage Sweet by the Navy’s 5th Fleet stationed in the Middle East, satellite tracking data from MarineTraffic.com indicated the vessel’s location in the Gulf of Oman, just north of Muscat, Oman’s capital, on Thursday afternoon.

The tanker had recently departed from Kuwait and listed its destination as Houston, Texas. According to the 5th Fleet, the oil tanker issued a distress call during the seizure, NBC News reported.

The Navy condemned Iran’s actions as a violation of international law, highlighting their disruptive impact on regional security and stability. The 5th Fleet called for the immediate release of the oil tanker.

At the time, the owners of the vessel could not be reached for comment. Iran had not yet acknowledged the seizure, and no response was received from Iran’s mission to the United Nations upon request for comment.

This incident marks the latest in a series of hijackings and explosions that have unsettled the region, including the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage at the mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a significant portion of global oil trade flows.

Written by staff