CNN: US expands hunt for Iran-linked ships into Indo-Pacific

US forces will pursue ships linked to Iran far beyond the Middle East, including in the Indo-Pacific, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said on Thursday, April 16, signalling a significant expansion of maritime enforcement operations.

Speaking amid an ongoing US-led blockade targeting Iranian shipping, Caine said American forces are already conducting interdiction activities in other regions, particularly in the Pacific area of responsibility, against vessels that departed before the blockade was imposed, as per CNN report.

“We are also conducting similar maritime interdiction actions and activities in the Pacific AOR (area of responsibility) against those ships that left that area before we began the blockade,” Caine said.

The Indo-Pacific, especially anchorages near the Strait of Malacca, hosts some of the largest concentrations of so-called “dark fleet” tankers — vessels used to transport sanctioned or illicit oil from countries such as Iran, according to Lloyd’s List.

Experts say the US could replicate tactics previously used in other regions. Charlie Brown, a senior adviser on dark fleet tracking at the nonprofit United Against Nuclear Iran and a former US Navy officer, told CNN that recent US naval movements and Caine’s remarks suggest Washington may consider operations similar to those carried out against tankers linked to Venezuela earlier this year.

“The US previously interdicted sanctioned tankers far from the immediate area of Venezuela, including in the Indian Ocean,” Brown said.

“That’s where I would expect similar activity: in international waters where the US has operational freedom of manoeuvre and fewer constraints,” he added.

Attention has also focused on the movement of US naval assets in the region. CNN reported that it has contacted the US 7th Fleet regarding the movements of the USS Miguel Keith, which satellite imagery showed heading toward the Strait of Malacca as of Thursday local time.

The USS Miguel Keith, an expeditionary sea base vessel nearly the size of a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, departed Sasebo, Japan, on April 8. The ship briefly stopped in Singaporean waters on April 17 before continuing through the Strait of Malacca later that evening.

According to the US Marine Corps, the vessel supports missions including airborne mine countermeasures and special operations.

In his remarks, Caine also highlighted the complexity of operations closer to Iran, describing the area around the Strait of Hormuz as “incredibly congested” and praising US forces for carrying out blockade enforcement under such challenging conditions.

By Tamilla Hasanova