THE FUSE

This US Marine Corps handout photograph taken on July 16, 2026, by US Central Command Public Affairs reportedly shows an Iranian flag flying behind a US Marine from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit during a verification boarding aboard M/T Wen Yao in the Gulf of Oman. American forces boarded a ship in the Gulf of Oman on July 16 as part of the renewed blockade of Iran's ports that began earlier this week, the US military said. US Marines boarded the M/T Wen Yao "to ensure full compliance with the ongoing US naval blockade," US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a post on X.