Following an announcement by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Saturday of the renewed closure of the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic, MarineTraffic data showed two gas tankers and one oil tanker turning back in the Arabian Gulf after attempting to transit the strait on Sunday at 7:30 a.m. UTC.
In the following report, Misbar’s team at Al Araby TV tracks the vessels’ movements, compiles key details, and shows that they were previously listed under U.S. sanctions.
Meda Gas Tanker
A gas tanker identified as IMO 8818219 and sailing under the flag of Botswana is currently anchored in the Arabian Gulf, listing Khor Fakkan Port in the United Arab Emirates as its destination.
A review of the vessel’s history shows it has changed names several times. Its most recent known name was RAHA GAS, under which it was included on U.S. sanctions lists.
Alleged Links to Sanctioned Network
Research indicates the vessel is owned by Arafat Shipping Co., registered in the Marshall Islands, and linked to the network of Yemeni businessman Saeed al-Jamal, who is under U.S. and international sanctions.
The U.S. Treasury Department says the network operates a fleet of vessels and intermediaries used to facilitate the sale and transport of Iranian oil and petroleum products, generating revenue for Yemen’s Houthi movement and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force.
The vessel was previously involved in multimillion-dollar liquefied petroleum gas shipments allegedly loaded in the United Arab Emirates and bound for Yemen on behalf of al-Jamal’s network, according to the Treasury.
G Summer Gas Tanker
A gas tanker identified as IMO 9143506 and sailing under the flag of Angola is currently in the Arabian Gulf, also listing Khor Fakkan Port as its destination.
The vessel has changed its name and flag multiple times and has been under U.S. sanctions since 2022. It was previously known as GLORY HARVEST and was included on sanctions lists over its ties to Golden Warrior Shipping Co. Limited, which the U.S. Treasury says was involved in illicit transactions involving Iranian oil and petroleum products, including logistical support for Iran’s oil trade.
Lumina Ocean Oil Tanker
An oil tanker identified as IMO 9430715 and sailing under the flag of Curaçao is currently in the Arabian Gulf, listing Ras Al Khaimah Port in the United Arab Emirates as its destination.
Like the other vessels, Lumina Ocean has repeatedly changed its name and flag since entering service in 2012. Misbar identified its former name as MAJESTY, which appeared on U.S. sanctions lists, along with its owner, Concord Shipping Inc., over its alleged involvement in transporting nearly a dozen shipments of Iranian petroleum products since early 2025, according to the U.S. Treasury Department.
U.S. Navy Seizes Iranian Vessel in Arabian Sea
U.S. Central Command said Marine Corps forces seized an Iranian vessel in the Arabian Sea and released video of the operation.
In an initial response, Iran’s Foreign Ministry described the incident as a threat to Iranian ports and vessels, calling it evidence of U.S. “bad intentions.” Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters also said Tehran would respond to what it described as an “armed act of piracy” by U.S. forces.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that a U.S. destroyer fired on an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman after it attempted to breach what he described as a U.S. blockade and ignored orders to stop. He said the vessel, identified as “Tosca,” was under U.S. Treasury sanctions.
Misbar Tracks Over 20 U.S. Military Cargo Flights to Middle East in Two Days
For the First Time Since the Start of the War, a U.S. Destroyer Sails Near the Strait of Hormuz
