Washington DC, April 26 -- In the ongoing naval blockade, the US Navy intercepted the merchant vessel M/V Sevan in the Arabian Sea on Saturday. The ship, identified as part of Iran's "shadow fleet," was forced to abandon its course and is currently being escorted back to Iranian waters.

The operation, led by the guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney (DDG 91), marks a significant escalation in US Central Command's (CENTCOM) efforts to choke off Tehran's illicit energy exports.

According to the United States Central Command, the vessel M/V Sevan was among 19 "shadow fleet" ships sanctioned by the US Department of the Treasury for activities related to transporting Iranian energy products, including oil, gas, propane, and butane, to foreig...