Explanation from Indonesian Navy Regarding US Warship in Malacca Strait
The Indonesian National Armed Forces Navy (TNI AL) has explained the presence of the US warship USS Miguel Keith in the Malacca Strait. According to the Head of the Navy Information Service, First Admiral Tunggul, the US combat vessel is transiting through Indonesian waters.
In response to the foreign ship crossing the Malacca Strait, Tunggul stated that ships, including warships, have the right to transit passage. “(This applies) in straits used for international navigation,” said Tunggul via a short message on Sunday, 19 April 2026.
Tunggul stated that the US ship’s voyage is solely for transit purposes. The passage, he said, is conducted directly, continuously, and as quickly as possible.
He noted that these provisions are in accordance with Articles 37, 38, and 39 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982. Indonesia ratified the convention through Law Number 17 of 1985 on the Ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Therefore, Tunggul said, every ship can exercise the right to transit passage in the Malacca Strait. However, they must still respect Indonesia as the coastal state whose territory forms the international navigation route.
While crossing the Malacca Strait, foreign ships must comply with various international conventions. These include the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREG) on preventing collisions at sea and the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) on preventing pollution from ships.
The US warship USS Miguel Keith was detected in the waters east of Belawan on Saturday, 18 April 2026, around 3:00 PM WIB. The ship was tracked heading northwest at a speed of 13.1 knots via the Automatic Identification System (AIS).
The presence of the warship in the Malacca Strait has drawn attention following the United States’ announcement of operations to hunt Iranian ships. The two countries are at war after the US, along with Israel, attacked Iran at the end of February.
Currently, the United States is implementing a blockade against Iranian ships to exert economic pressure on the Gulf nation. The US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, General Dan Caine, stated that they will pursue ships affiliated with Iran, even in waters far beyond the Middle East. “We will actively hunt Iranian-flagged ships or other vessels attempting to provide material assistance to Iran,” said Caine, as quoted by The Jerusalem Post on Saturday, 18 April 2026. General Caine specifically mentioned the Indo-Pacific region, where the Malacca Strait is located, in the hunt.