A covert US maritime operation in the Indian Ocean highlights rising global tensions as military-linked cargo bound for Iran is seized near Sri Lanka’s waters.
United States special operations forces have boarded and seized a cargo ship in the Indian Ocean, hundreds of miles off the coast of Sri Lanka, intercepting a shipment of military related documents reportedly being transported from China to Iran. The Wall Street Journal disclosed that the operation took place last month.
According to the report, the boarding was a rare and highly sensitive maritime interdiction carried out to prevent Iran from rebuilding its military capabilities. Troops attached to the US Indo Pacific Command reportedly halted the vessel, seized the documents, and prevented the cargo from reaching its destination.
US intelligence agencies are said to have monitored the shipment for several months before authorising the operation. The raid forms part of broader Pentagon efforts to disrupt Iran’s military procurement networks, particularly those linked to missile development. These actions have intensified since the United States and Israel jointly struck Iranian nuclear facilities in June.
In a separate but related development, US defence officials confirmed that American forces also seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. The tanker was allegedly being used to transport oil from Venezuela to Iran, further highlighting the scale of enforcement operations targeting Iran’s supply chains.
The Wall Street Journal noted that the incident underscores the Trump administration’s renewed reliance on aggressive maritime tactics against strategic adversaries. Such operations, involving direct seizures on the high seas, have been used sparingly by the US in recent decades due to their diplomatic and military risks.
Attempts by US media to obtain comments from officials in Iran and China reportedly went unanswered.
Meanwhile, tensions escalated further when Iranian authorities seized an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman early yesterday morning. The vessel was carrying 18 crew members from India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
Iran’s state affiliated Fars News Agency quoted an official in Hormozgan province as saying, “An oil tanker carrying six million liters of illegal diesel fuel has been landed off the coast of the Sea of Oman.” Iranian officials claimed the cargo was being transported illegally.
Last month, Iran also seized another oil tanker in the Gulf, again alleging the transport of illegal goods. Iranian authorities have denied claims that such actions were retaliatory measures linked to US or allied maritime seizures.
The latest incidents reflect growing instability across key shipping routes near Sri Lanka and the wider Indian Ocean, as major powers intensify efforts to control strategic supply lines amid rising global conflict.
