US Military Seizes Sanctioned Majestic X Tanker in Indian Ocean Amid Escalating Naval Blockade With Iran

US forces intercept the sanctioned Majestic X tanker in the Indian Ocean as tensions with Iran spike following seizures in the Strait of Hormuz.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 23, 2026, 9:18 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from AP

Strategic Interdiction in the Indian Ocean

United States military forces have executed a high-profile seizure of the Majestic X, an oil tanker allegedly transporting illicit Iranian crude through the Indian Ocean. The operation, confirmed by the Department of Defense on Thursday, involved US troops boarding the vessel to disrupt what officials described as a sophisticated smuggling network providing material support to Tehran. Video footage released by the Pentagon showed American forces on the deck of the tanker, which was intercepted in international waters between Sri Lanka and Indonesia. This latest action signals an aggressive expansion of US maritime enforcement far beyond the immediate vicinity of the Persian Gulf.

History of the Sanctioned Majestic X

The Majestic X, a Guyana-flagged vessel previously known as the Phonix, has long been a target of international regulators. In late 2024, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) officially sanctioned the tanker for its role in transporting Iranian oil in violation of global trade restrictions. Ship-tracking data at the time of its seizure indicated the vessel was bound for Zhoushan, China, a frequent destination for sanctioned crude. The Pentagon stated that the operation was part of a broader mandate to deny illicit actors freedom of maneuver within the maritime domain, regardless of the vessel’s proximity to Iranian shores.

Retaliatory Seizures in the Strait of Hormuz

This American naval operation follows a direct provocation by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which seized two commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz only a day prior. Iranian forces took control of the Liberia-flagged Epaminondas and the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca, accusing the vessels of "maritime violations" and manipulating navigation systems. These captures were accompanied by reports of gunfire directed at at least three other cargo ships in the waterway. The IRGC’s actions have effectively enforced a counter-blockade, challenging the 20% of global oil trade that typically transits through the narrow strait during peacetime.