The United States military boarded an Iranian-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday, escalating pressure on Tehran as the Trump administration pushes Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing tensions in the region.
US Central Command said the M/T Celestial Sea was searched and redirected after it was suspected of attempting to reach an Iranian port in violation of the American blockade. The vessel is the fifth commercial ship intercepted since Washington imposed the blockade on Iranian shipping in mid-April, days after a ceasefire, as part of efforts to force Tehran back to negotiations and reopen the strategic waterway.
The latest action came after President Donald Trump said Monday that he had suspended plans for renewed military strikes on Iran to allow room for diplomatic talks. Trump said he had planned “a very major attack” for Tuesday but delayed it after Gulf allies urged him to wait two to three days because they believed a deal could still be reached.
Trump, however, has repeatedly imposed deadlines on Tehran before stepping back from military action.
Before the blockade was imposed, Iran had allowed some vessels seen as friendly to pass through the Strait of Hormuz while charging heavy fees, drawing accusations that Tehran was using one of the world’s most critical shipping routes to pressure the global economy. According to the US military, 1,550 vessels from 87 countries are currently stranded in the Persian Gulf.
The standoff is also creating political pressure for Trump domestically, with Republicans facing mounting criticism ahead of November’s midterm elections as fuel prices surge and energy markets remain volatile.
In Congress, divisions over the conflict are widening. The Senate on Tuesday advanced legislation aimed at forcing Trump to withdraw from the Iran war, with several Republicans joining Democrats in the 50-47 vote against the president.
The US has stepped up maritime operations in recent weeks. Last month, American forces boarded a tanker previously sanctioned for smuggling Iranian crude oil in the Bay of Bengal. Days later, another tanker linked to Iranian oil smuggling was seized in waters between Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
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