US forces seize tanker linked to Iran in the Bay of Bengal
U.S. forces boarded and seized an oil tanker, the M/T Tifani, overnight on 21 April in the Bay of Bengal, after identifying it as a vessel previously sanctioned for smuggling Iranian crude.
The Pentagon said the operation was carried out without incident under a “right-of-visit maritime interdiction,” and a defense official confirmed the ship was carrying Iranian oil at the time. Officials are now deciding what to do with the tanker over the next few days, including possibly towing it to the United States or handing it over to another country.
The move comes amid ongoing tensions with Iran and a fragile ceasefire in the region. While the U.S. has agreed to extend the ceasefire at Pakistan’s request, it is maintaining its maritime blockade and enforcement actions against vessels tied to Tehran.
Overnight, U.S. forces conducted a right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding of the stateless sanctioned M/T Tifani without incident in the INDOPACOM area of responsibility.⁰⁰As we have made clear, we will pursue global maritime enforcement efforts to disrupt illicit… pic.twitter.com/EGwDe3dBI3
— Department of War (@DeptofWar) April 21, 2026
The seizure is part of a broader U.S. effort to track and stop ships linked to Iran, especially those transporting oil or materials that could support its government.
Previously, on April 19, U.S. forces seized an Iranian-flagged container ship that allegedly tried to breach the naval blockade.
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