Complete Maritime Profile & Reviews of Herby

**Title: U.S. Navy Intercepts Tanker Bound for Iran** In a strategic move to curb Iranian oil shipments, the U.S. Navy has successfully intercepted the 'Herby,' a tanker operated by the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC). The USS 'Rafael Peralta' (DDG 115) played a key role in enforcing a blockade against Iranian crude oil. The interception occurred following a clandestine ship-to-ship (STS) transfer of two million barrels of crude oil near Riau, before the vessel commenced its 12-day journey back home. However, this voyage was abruptly halted just off the coast of Iran. The U.S. Navy's intervention underscores ongoing tensions regarding oil shipments from Iran amidst international sanctions.

Iranian oil tanker, Hoda, came under attack by a group of pirates in the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb. According to a statement issued by the Navy's Public Relations office, the pirates were riding on speedboats equipped with rocket propelled-grenade weapons. They attacked the 'Hoda' oil tanker as they attempted to hijack the vessel before the Iranian Navy intervened and forced the pirates to flee the scene. The Iranian Navy has been conducting anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008, when Somali raiders hijacked the Iranian-chartered cargo ship, MV Delight, off the coast of Yemen.