U.S. Central Command released footage showing Marines from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit boarding the tanker M/T Wen Yao in the Gulf of Oman to verify compliance with the blockade on Iran. The deployment is the first publicly acknowledged operational use of the 11th MEU since the conflict with Iran began in February. CENTCOM also said U.S. forces have redirected three commercial vessels bound for Iran, disabled one that refused to comply, and boarded another.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) released footage Friday showing Marines from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) boarding the Panamanian-flagged tanker M/T Wen Yao in the Gulf of Oman. According to CENTCOM, the boarding was conducted to verify compliance with the naval blockade on Iran. The deployment marks the first publicly acknowledged operational use of the 11th MEU since the conflict with Iran began in February 2026.
Alongside the footage, CENTCOM provided an update on the broader blockade enforcement: U.S. forces have redirected three commercial vessels bound for Iranian ports, disabled one vessel that refused to comply, and boarded another for inspection. The announcement signals a continued escalation of interdiction operations in the Gulf of Oman.
The footage follows images released by CENTCOM earlier tonight at 00:48 Jerusalem, which showed a Marine Corps takeover of an Iranian merchant vessel. The new release identifies the vessel as the M/T Wen Yao and confirms the involvement of the 11th MEU, which had not been previously acknowledged in the operation.
3 developments
- StrongCENTCOM released footage of engagement with Iranian forces in Strait of Hormuz
- DevelopingUS Central Command releases footage of disabling Iranian-affiliated vessel
- StrongUS CENTCOM disables oil tanker for second consecutive day in Gulf of Oman
- StrongCENTCOM announces new wave of strikes across Iran after drone hits oil tanker
Source and signal
- Internal intake