U.S. military forces boarded an Iranian-flagged commercial oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday, suspecting the vessel of attempting to violate the American blockade of Iranian shipping.

U.S. Central Command announced on social media that the M/T Celestial Sea was searched and redirected after being suspected of trying to head to an Iranian port. The vessel was subsequently released after the boarding operation.

This marks at least the fifth vessel to be boarded since the Trump administration implemented the blockade of Iranian shipping. The military action comes amid ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran in the region.

The boarding occurred after President Donald Trump announced he had called off planned military strikes against Iran, citing efforts to advance negotiations to end the current conflict. Trump stated he had planned "a very major attack" for Tuesday but postponed it, saying Gulf allies had requested a delay of two to three days because they believed they were close to reaching a deal with Iran.

The incident highlights the continuing maritime enforcement operations in the strategically important Gulf of Oman, a key shipping route for global oil supplies. Trump has previously set multiple deadlines for Tehran regarding various demands, though he has backed away from several of these ultimatums.