U.S. Forces boarded a Panamanian-flagged oil tanker in the Indian Ocean on Sunday, February 15, 2026, after tracking it from the Caribbean Sea, the Pentagon announced. The intervention is the latest move in a U.S. Effort to enforce sanctions and disrupt the flow of illicit oil, highlighting the ongoing tensions surrounding Venezuela’s energy sector.
The vessel, identified as the Veronica III, “tried to defy President Trump’s quarantine—hoping to slip away,” according to a statement released by the Defense Department on X. U.S. Forces tracked the tanker from the Caribbean, successfully intercepting it in the Indian Ocean.
Video released by the Pentagon shows U.S. Troops boarding a helicopter and then boarding the tanker ship. This action follows a similar incident approximately one week prior, where U.S. Forces boarded the Aquila II.
The move comes after President Trump ordered a “blockade” of sanctioned oil vessels heading to and from Venezuela in December 2025, aiming to pressure the government before Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro was apprehended by U.S. Special forces in January. At least nine ships have been seized as a result of the order.
Whereas, officials acknowledge that these seizures represent only a small fraction of the total number of sanctioned vessels operating globally to evade sanctions – a so-called “shadow fleet” estimated to number up to 800, according to a senior U.S. Coast Guard officer.
The Veronica III departed Venezuela on January 3, the same day Maduro was taken into custody, carrying approximately 1.9 million barrels of oil, according to TankersTrackers.com. The U.S. Treasury Department has indicated that the vessel is under U.S. Sanctions related to Iran.
“The Department of Defense will not allow illicit actors and their facilitators to freely navigate the seas,” the Pentagon stated on X. The development underscores the U.S. Commitment to enforcing sanctions and disrupting illicit financial networks.
The incident follows previous statements by President Trump asserting U.S. Control over Venezuelan oil following Maduro’s removal, with claims of already having taken possession and sold a portion of it. Venezuelan authorities have disputed these claims, maintaining control over the country’s oil reserves and ongoing negotiations with the U.S. Regarding potential sales.
