U.S. Marines board container ship in the Arabian Sea

On April 28, 2026, U.S. Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit conducted a boarding operation on the container ship M/V Blue Star III in the Arabian Sea. The operation was carried out by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) as part of maritime enforcement activities related to the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports. CENTCOM officials stated the ship, which sails under the flag of the Comoros, was suspected of attempting to navigate toward Iran. The vessel was boarded and searched by U.S. forces to verify its destination. After the inspection confirmed that the cargo ship was not headed to an Iranian port, the U.S. military allowed the vessel to continue its voyage. The U.S. Central Command released video footage of the mission on the platform X to document the event. No arrests or cargo seizures were reported during the encounter.