Iranian forces seized control of a foreign vessel on Wednesday, marking the second time within a week that a ship has been detained by the Middle Eastern nation, according to the U.S. Navy. The Niovi, a Panama-flagged commercial oil tanker, was traversing the Strait of Hormuz, located between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, when it was intercepted by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN).
Around 12 IRGCN personnel swiftly boarded the Niovi using fast-attack craft, forcing the crew to reverse course and sail into Iranian territorial waters. At the time of capture, the oil tanker was en route from Dubai to Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates.
The U.S. Navy has released declassified video footage showing an aerial view of the Iranian operation. This incident follows Iran's illegal detainment of another foreign vessel less than a week ago.
The Advantage Sweet, an oil tanker registered under the Marshall Islands flag, was captured last week by Iranian forces while traveling from Kuwait to Houston. Video footage of the event depicts Iranian forces approaching the oil tanker by helicopter as it navigates the Gulf of Oman.
