US Marines storm Iranian-linked tanker in dramatic Gulf boarding — 'steel wall' blockade in action

US Marines from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit conducted a verification boarding of the tanker M/T Wen Yao on Wednesday as American forces enforced a naval blockade in waters near the Strait of Hormuz, US Central Command said.

As of July 16, US forces have redirected three commercial vessels attempting to run the blockade, disabled one that failed to comply and boarded another to verify full compliance, CentCom reported. 

The command described the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters as remaining “free and open, except for vessels attempting to violate America’s steel wall blockade”.

Video released by CentCom showed Marines fast-roping from helicopters onto the vessel's deck amid routine maritime security operations. 

The action comes amid heightened US-Iran tensions and ongoing military operations in the region. 

CentCom has conducted multiple waves of strikes against Iranian military targets in recent weeks to degrade capabilities threatening commercial shipping through the critical Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for roughly one-fifth of global oil trade. 

The US has maintained a significant naval presence in the area, including carrier strike groups, to deter Iranian interference with international maritime traffic. 

The boarding operation highlights efforts to maintain freedom of navigation while applying pressure on Iran following a series of strikes on Iranian command centers, air defenses, missile sites and coastal facilities.  

CentCom Commander Admiral Brad Cooper earlier revealed the US military has officially obliterated the last of the four Soleimani class warships.

"That's an entire class of Iranian ships now out of the fight! We had strike waves nearly every hour from different locations and directions going into Iran! I'd characterise our strikes as being unpredictable, dynamic, and decisive."

"Since the first 24 hours of this campaign, Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks have dropped drastically, but it's worth pointing out that Iranian forces continue to deliberately target innocent civilians in Gulf countries while hiding behind their own people as they launch attacks from highly populated cities in Iran."

Cooper also said space superiority has been a critical enabler to the war.

"Unseen by the world, the Space Force is doing two things. First, they're degrading Iranian capability, and second, they're helping to protect American forces."