Iran Seizes Oil Tanker in Gulf of Oman, U.S. Navy Says

The U.S. Navy said Thursday that Iran had seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker Advantage Sweet while transiting international waters in the Gulf of Oman. 

According to a tweet by U.S. 5th Fleet, the incident happened on April 27 at approximately 1:15 p.m. local time, when the tanker was seized by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN). 

"The oil tanker issued a distress call during the seizure. U.S. 5th Fleet is monitoring the situation. Iran's actions are contrary to international law and disruptive to regional security and stability. 

The Iranian government should immediately release the oil tanker. 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," U.S. 5th Fleet tweeted.

According to Fleetmon data, the oil tanker - previously known under the name Dolviken, left Kuwait earlier this week, with its next destination set for Houston, Texas. The 2012-built tanker is owned by Advantage Tankers.