Maritime Interception (or naval interdiction) operations (MIOs) are naval operations, that aim to delay, disrupt, or destroy enemy forces or supplies en route to the battle area before they do any harm against friendly forces, similar to air interdiction.
Naval interdiction took place in the Persian Gulf, during Operation Southern Watch.
They took place between the end of Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and the beginning of the Iraq War in 2003.
The operations involved the stopping and boarding of any and all ships transiting the Persian Gulf, and the Strait of Hormuz, to search for oil, weapons, and certain fugitives from justice.
The first submarine to take part in these operations was the USS Asheville (SSN-758), in March and April 2000.