US Navy personnel boarded the oil tanker Majestic X in the Indian Ocean, as shown in video released by the US Department of Defense on April 23, 2026.US forces have boarded a massive supertanker loaded with Iranian oil in the Indian Ocean as Washington ramps up its efforts to enforce a blockade on Iran’s shipping network.
The overnight operation targeted the sanctioned vessel Majestic X, also known as the Phonix, the Pentagon said. This Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) can haul up to two million barrels of oil and was reportedly sailing under a false flag, according to industry tracking data, reported Bloomberg.
The move is part of a broader US strategy that goes well beyond simply turning back ships trying to leave the Persian Gulf. American forces are now intercepting and boarding tankers thousands of miles away from Iranian waters, aimed at cutting off Tehran’s oil customers — especially China, its largest buyer — from millions of barrels of supply. For the blockade to succeed, the US needs to create enough economic pressure on Iran to force it to meet American demands. At the same time, Iran has largely shut down shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical oil chokepoint, severely disrupting global oil flows and threatening wider economic stability.
As of Thursday morning, vessel tracking showed almost no Iran-linked tankers successfully passing through the strait. Only one such bulk carrier was seen making the transit out of the Persian Gulf. On Wednesday, Iranian forces attacked at least three vessels in the waterway and diverted two of them into Iranian waters.The boarding of the Majestic X follows recent US interdictions of two other supertankers — the Hedy and Hero II. Both vessels are now anchored at Chabahar, an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman, after being stopped earlier this week.
Another tanker, the Dorena, is currently under escort by a US Navy destroyer in the Indian Ocean after it tried to breach the blockade. These actions have reduced oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz to a tiny fraction of normal levels. Before the current tensions, Iran was one of the few countries still moving significant volumes of oil through the strait during the ongoing conflict.
The disruption has already created a massive supply gap in the global oil market. Oil traders estimate a shortfall of around one billion barrels, and it could take a long time to restore normal flows even after the strait reopens. The US blockade targets Iranian maritime activity and includes enforcement far outside the Persian Gulf itself. Maritime monitoring groups say at least six tankers linked to Iran have now been interdicted by US forces in some form.
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