Tensions Escalate as US Military Intercepts Three Iranian Ships in Asian Waters

Escalation of the conflict between the United States (US) and Iran is becoming increasingly tense. The US military is reported to have intercepted at least three Iranian-flagged tankers crossing Asian waters.

According to detikFinance on Thursday (23/4/2026), sources from the shipping and security industries state that the ships were forced to turn back and diverted from their original positions near India, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka. This move aligns with the US efforts to blockade Iran through sea routes.

Nevertheless, the US military has yet to provide an official comment on the interception. However, the situation is heating up as Iran has also retaliated by firing on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

There are no signs that peace negotiations will continue after nearly two months of war between the US-Israel alliance and Iran. Yet, the current situation is under a ceasefire.

In recent days, tensions have risen after US forces seized one cargo ship and one Iranian oil tanker. Iran has claimed to have captured two container ships attempting to exit the Gulf after issuing warning shots.

Based on ship tracking data from the MarineTraffic platform and related sources, the three ships intercepted by the US consist of Deep Sea, Sevin, and Dorena. Deep Sea is an Iranian-flagged supertanker carrying part of its crude oil cargo. The ship was last seen off the coast of Malaysia last week.

Meanwhile, Sevin is a smaller Iranian-flagged ship with a maximum capacity of 1 million barrels. When intercepted, the ship was carrying at least 65 percent of its capacity. The ship was last detected off the coast of Malaysia a month ago.

Then, Dorena is an Iranian-flagged supertanker. The ship was carrying a full load of 2 million barrels of crude oil and was last seen off the southern coast of India three days ago.

Through a post on social media platform X, the US Central Command (USCENTCOM) confirmed that the Dorena is currently under escort by a US Navy destroyer in the Indian Ocean. The ship attempted to breach the blockade.

In addition to the three ships, shipping industry sources also mention that US forces may have intercepted the Derya tanker. The ship is known to have failed to unload its Iranian oil cargo in India before the US waiver for purchasing Iranian crude oil expired last Sunday. MarineTraffic data shows the last position of the Derya off the west coast of India on Friday.