The U.S. Navy announced that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy has seized the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker Advantage Sweet in the Gulf of Oman which was on the way to Houston, Texas. The U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet said, “The oil tanker issued a distress call during the seizure. Iran‘s actions are contrary to international law and disruptive to regional security and stability. Iran should immediately release the oil tanker.” The U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) also issued a statement saying, “Iran’s continued harassment of vessels and interference with navigational rights in regional waters are a threat to maritime security and the global economy. In the past two years, Iran has unlawfully seized at least five commercial vessels sailing in the Middle East.”
