U.S. special operations forces intercepted a shipment of military-related cargo from China bound for Iran while the vessel was operating off the coast of Sri Lanka.
The covert operation, carried out in the Indian Ocean several hundred miles from Sri Lanka, involved U.S. operatives boarding the ship, seizing the cargo, and then allowing the vessel to continue its journey.
The ship’s identity, ownership, and flag have not been publicly disclosed.
U.S. officials said the seizure aimed to prevent Iran from rebuilding its ballistic missile capabilities following its 12-day conflict with Israel in June.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the cargo contained dual-use components—items with both civilian and military applications—believed to be destined for Iranian companies that procure parts for Tehran’s missile program.
One U.S. official said the shipment was destroyed.
U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, which carried out the operation, has declined to comment.
The operation coincided with the presence of U.S. military aircraft and personnel in Sri Lanka, officially deployed to assist with disaster relief after Cyclone Ditwah.
The U.S. embassy in Colombo said the deployment “followed a request from the Government of Sri Lanka and in coordination with the Sri Lankan Armed Forces” to provide airlift and logistics support for the cyclone response, including transporting emergency supplies from Katunayake Air Base to affected areas.
The Sri Lanka operation is part of the U.S. strategy to intercept shipments linked to Iran.
In January 2024, U.S. Central Command seized Iranian-made missile components near Somalia destined for Houthi forces. U.S. forces have also confiscated Iranian oil shipments in 2020 and 2023, and more recently seized a sanctioned oil tanker off Venezuela linked to Iran.
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