US Forces Intercept Sanctioned Iran-Linked Oil Tanker Southeast of Sri Lanka

United States forces have boarded the M/T Tifani oil tanker in the Indo-Pacific region, approximately 700 kilometers southeast of Sri Lanka. The Pentagon confirmed the operation, stating it was conducted "without incident" as a "right-of-visit, maritime interdiction." The vessel was reportedly sanctioned for smuggling Iranian crude oil, violating international sanctions. Ship-tracking data indicated the tanker had previously been near Galle port before the interdiction. Described as "stateless" by the Pentagon, the operation is part of broader efforts to disrupt illicit networks operating in violation of sanctions.