The Pentagon announced Sunday that American military personnel have intercepted a second sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean, following the vessel’s journey from Caribbean waters as part of ongoing efforts to disrupt illegal Venezuelan oil operations.
For years, Venezuela has operated under U.S. oil sanctions, using deceptively flagged ships to secretly transport crude oil into international markets. In December, President Trump implemented a quarantine targeting these sanctioned vessels to apply pressure on former President Nicolás Maduro, who was later captured in January during a U.S. military mission.
According to a Defense Department statement posted on social media, American forces conducted an overnight operation to board the Veronica III, performing what officials described as “a right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding.”
“The vessel tried to defy President Trump’s quarantine — hoping to slip away,” the Pentagon stated. “We tracked it from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, closed the distance, and shut it down.”
Treasury Department records show the Veronica III operates under a Panamanian flag and faces U.S. sanctions due to its connections with Iran.
The Pentagon released footage showing American service members conducting the boarding operation on the tanker.
This action represents part of the Trump administration’s expanded campaign to gain control over Venezuelan oil resources through vessel seizures. Pentagon officials did not specify whether the Veronica III has been officially confiscated and placed under American authority, and declined to provide additional details when contacted by reporters.
This marks the second such operation in recent days, following last week’s boarding of another tanker, the Aquila II, also in the Indian Ocean. Military officials indicated that vessel remains in custody while American authorities determine its final disposition.
