American forces on Sunday intercepted the Veronica III, an oil tanker under sanctions that left Venezuela in early January, after following it from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, the Pentagon announced on Sunday.
Published on: 02/15/2026 - 10:59 p.m. Modified on: 02/16/2026 - 10:16 a.m.
The United States intercepted a new tanker in the Indian Ocean which had fled the blockade ordered by President Donald Trump against ships under sanctions leaving or heading towards Venezuela, the Pentagon announced on Sunday February 15.
The Veronica III, flying the Panamanian flag, "attempted to defy President Trump's blockade - hoping to escape. We followed it from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, closed the distance and neutralized," the US Department of Defense, renamed the Department of War, said on X.
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The message is accompanied by a video where we can see American soldiers rushing into a helicopter then taking over the ship.
According to the specialized site TankerTrackers, the Veronica III left Venezuela on January 3, the same day that American special forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro during a spectacular raid.
It was loaded with approximately 1.9 million barrels of oil, equal to Venezuela's two-day production, TankerTrackers said.
“International waters are not a sanctuary”
Less than a week ago, another tanker, the Aquila II, had already been tracked by Washington in the Indian Ocean, before being seized according to a similar modus operandi.
“International waters are not a sanctuary. By land, air or sea, we will find you and bring you to justice,” the Pentagon assured Sunday.
Washington deployed a major military force in the Caribbean, which made it possible to strike boats accused of being linked to drug trafficking, intercept nearly a dozen oil tankers under sanctions and capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
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But the vessels seized in recent months represent only a tiny fraction of the total number of vessels under sanctions operating around the world.
This number could rise to 800 boats, underlined Rear Admiral David Barata during a hearing at the American Congress in early February.
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The Veronica III is targeted by American sanctions because it is suspected of transporting Iranian oil since “at least 2022”, specifies the Treasury on its site.
With AFP
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