US Navy's Fifth Fleet recently reported that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had “forcibly seized” a Tanzanian-flagged commercial ship in international waters in the Gulf. The incident was monitored by US forces, but no further action was deemed necessary.

The incident has sparked new concerns over the security of maritime traffic in the Middle East, a region that is home to some of the world's most critical waterways. The incident occurred northeast of the Saudi Arabian port city of Dammam, and was reported by British maritime security company Ambrey.

It is believed that the IRGC seized the ship on suspicion of smuggling oil. This is not an isolated incident, as Iran has a history of intercepting smaller tankers they suspect of smuggling.

The Gulf region is a global chokepoint for seaborne oil and oil products. Around one-fifth of the world's supply of seaborne crude oil and oil products pass annually through the Strait of Hormuz, a strait between Iran and Oman. This makes it a crucial shipping lane for international trade.

The incident is one of several that has taken place in recent years between the US and Iran in the tense Gulf region. On Wednesday, US forces intervened to prevent Iran from seizing two commercial tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

Iran responded by stating that they had a court order to seize one of the vessels after it collided with an Iranian ship. In May, Iran seized two other tankers, one of which was chartered by US oil major Chevron.

These incidents threaten to further destabilize the already tense geopolitical environment in the Middle East. It is critical that all actors in the region work together to ensure the safety of maritime traffic in the Gulf.

This will ensure the continued stability of global energy supplies, and protect the security of commercial vessels in the region.