US seizes Iran-linked oil tanker in Indian Ocean, report says

The tanker, identified as the Skywave, had been sanctioned by the United States in March over its alleged role in carrying Iranian oil.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

The United States overnight seized an Iran-linked oil tanker in the Indian Ocean as part of its campaign targeting vessels involved in transporting Iranian oil, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing three US officials, while President Trump said he had delayed planned military action against Iran to allow continued negotiations.

The tanker, identified as the Skywave, had been sanctioned by the United States in March over its alleged role in carrying Iranian oil.

Ship-tracking data showed the vessel west of Malaysia on Tuesday after passing through the Malacca Strait.

According to brokers and data from Lloyds List Intelligence, the tanker was likely loaded with more than one million barrels of crude oil at Iran’s Kharg Island in February.

The report said the seizure marked at least the third instance in which the United States intercepted an oil tanker tied to Iran-linked shadow fleet operations.

The actions were described as separate from the US blockade of Iranian ports operating in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

According to the report, the United States seized three oil tankers associated with Iranian oil shipments in the Indian Ocean in April and May 2026: the Tifani, Majestic X, and Skywave.

The developments came as President Trump said Monday that Gulf leaders had urged him to postpone renewed military operations against Iran while negotiations continued.

In a post on Truth Social, President Trump said the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates had asked him to halt planned attacks on Iran during ongoing diplomatic contacts.

“This Deal will include, importantly, NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN!” President Trump wrote.

Before announcing Monday that military action had been suspended, President Trump had been preparing what was described as a major operation against Iran.

He later said he chose to delay the action to allow an opportunity for a diplomatic agreement focused on preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.