US Military Boards Another Sanctioned Oil Tanker in Indian Ocean

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The U.S. military has boarded another sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean, the Veronica III, after tracking the Panamanian-flagged vessel from the Caribbean Sea. This is part of the Trump administration's broader efforts to take control of Venezuela's oil exports, which have faced U.S. sanctions for several years. The Pentagon said the tanker tried to defy the president's quarantine of sanctioned vessels.

Why it matters

The U.S. has been aggressively targeting Venezuela's oil industry through sanctions and seizures of tankers in an effort to pressure the Maduro regime. This latest boarding of a sanctioned tanker in international waters demonstrates the administration's determination to cut off Venezuela's access to global oil markets.

The details

According to the Pentagon, U.S. forces boarded the Veronica III overnight, conducting 'a right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding.' The vessel is under U.S. sanctions related to Iran. This comes a week after the U.S. military boarded another tanker, the Aquila II, in the Indian Ocean. The Pentagon did not specify if the Veronica III was formally seized and placed under U.S. control.

• The U.S. military boarded the Veronica III overnight on February 15, 2026.

What’s next

The U.S. has not indicated whether the Veronica III will be formally seized and placed under American control.