Middle East — 2026-05-09

Iran Seizes Oil Tanker in Gulf of Oman as US-Iran Naval Skirmishes Continue

Iran's IRGC seized the Barbados-registered tanker Ocean Koi in the Gulf of Oman on Friday, with Fars news agency carrying Iranian claims the vessel sought to disrupt oil exports; Bloomberg reported the ship appeared to be carrying Iranian oil. CENTCOM separately confirmed US forces disabled two Iranian-flagged tankers attempting to enter Iranian ports, with CENTCOM commander Admiral Bradley Cooper citing full blockade enforcement. Earlier that day, US and Iranian forces exchanged fire in the Strait of Hormuz: Trump said Iran attacked three US Navy destroyers, while Iran's joint military command said US strikes wounded 10 sailors and left five missing. Iran also announced a "Persian Gulf Strait Authority" requiring ships to obtain clearance and pay tolls before transiting the strait.

Analysis
Iran's "Persian Gulf Strait Authority," requiring advance clearance and toll payments for Strait of Hormuz transits, converts episodic maritime seizures into an institutionalized coercion framework over a waterway carrying a fifth of global oil. The IRGC's willingness to activate it under active ceasefire pressure, backed by three confirmed seizures, makes Iran likely to seize at least one additional commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman or the Strait within 60 days of May 9. The Ocean Koi seizure may instead reflect IRGC enforcement against unsanctioned Iranian crude exports rather than coercion of foreign commercial shipping; Bloomberg reported the vessel appeared to carry Iranian oil. Cargo details rest on a single Al Jazeera secondary account.

4 sources

Iran says seized tanker in Gulf of Oman as US disables two ships - Al Jazeera
Iran Navy seizes 'Ocean Koi' oil tanker in Gulf of Oman - IRNA (Islamic Republic News Agency)
Iran Seizes Tanker That Appears to Be Carrying Its Own Oil - Bloomberg
U.S. strikes two Iranian-flagged ships as tensions rise amid ceasefire - The Washington Post