April 22, 2026 | 06:09 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Sugiono said the presence of a United States warship in the Malacca Strait was solely for regional patrol purposes.
The US vessel, USS Miguel Keith, was detected in waters east of Belawan on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at around 03:00 PM local time. Based on Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, the ship was moving northwest at a speed of 13.1 knots.
“I think they are just carrying out patrols in the region,” Sugiono said at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
The Gerindra Party politician added that the passage of foreign warships through the waters of other countries is not unusual. He referred to the concept of Freedom of Navigation operations, commonly conducted by naval forces—particularly the United States—to assert navigation rights in international waters under international law.
“There is something called Freedom of Navigation Patrol, right? It is not something new,” he said.
The presence of the warship in the Malacca Strait has drawn attention following reports that the United States is intensifying operations to track vessels linked to Iran. Tensions have escalated since the United States, alongside Israel, launched strikes on Iran in late February.
Washington is reportedly seeking to intercept Iranian-linked ships as part of broader efforts to apply economic pressure. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine said US forces would actively pursue vessels flying the Iranian flag or those suspected of providing material support to Iran.
“We will actively pursue ships flying the Iranian flag or other ships attempting to provide material assistance to Iran,” Caine said, as quoted by The Jerusalem Post on Saturday, April 18, 2026. He added that such operations could extend beyond the Middle East, including into the Indo-Pacific region where the Malacca Strait is located.
Responding to the presence of the USS Miguel Keith, Indonesian Navy spokesperson First Admiral Tunggul said the US warship was merely transiting through the strait.
He emphasized that foreign vessels, including warships, have the right of transit passage through straits used for international navigation, in line with international maritime law.
“It applies in straits used for international navigation,” Tunggul said in a message on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
He explained that such passage must be conducted continuously, directly, and as quickly as possible without unnecessary delay.
Sultan Abdurrahman contributed to the writing of this article.
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