The U.S. military's naval crackdown on Iran-linked vessels is expanding well beyond Middle Eastern waters, with the Pentagon announcing that interdiction operations will now target any Iranian-flagged vessel or any ship attempting to provide material support to Iran, wherever they may be.
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine confirmed that U.S. Indo-Pacific Command will help enforce the wider dragnet, extending the reach of the blockade into the Indo-Pacific region. The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. military is preparing to physically board Iran-linked oil tankers and seize commercial ships in international waters as the campaign escalates.
The move is designed to cut off Iran's oil revenues, including from so-called "dark fleet" tankers that carry Iranian crude while evading sanctions. Lloyd's List Intelligence reported that at least five Iran-linked tankers originally heading to Malaysia have already changed course to avoid the U.S. Navy.
On the ground, U.S. Marines have been actively rehearsing for maritime raid operations, including nighttime drills. The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit has been stationed in the Middle East for weeks, while the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit is currently transiting the Indo-Pacific en route to the region.
The escalation comes as conditions around the Strait of Hormuz remain volatile. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that vessels of any nationality will be destroyed if they attempt to cross the waterway, even as both Iran's foreign minister and President Donald Trump had previously declared it open. Iran has since said the strait will not reopen until the U.S. lifts its naval blockade.
