US forces boarded sanctioned tanker overnight ‘without incident’

WorldPolitics
21 Apr 2026 • 11:19 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

US forces boarded sanctioned tanker overnight ‘without incident’

  • US forces boarded the M/T Tifani, an oil tanker previously sanctioned for smuggling Iranian crude oil, in the Bay of Bengal.
  • The Pentagon stated this action is part of a global effort to disrupt illicit networks and interdict sanctioned vessels providing material support to Iran.
  • The US military will decide within four days what to do with the vessel, which was carrying Iranian oil.
  • General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirmed that enforcement actions would extend beyond Iranian waters, targeting any vessel linked to Iran, including in the Pacific.
  • The military has also expanded its definition of contraband, allowing for the seizure of goods destined for an enemy and usable in armed conflict, regardless of location.

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