(Photo from Department of War / @DeptofWar)
U.S. forces boarded another oil tanker after pursuing it for thousands of miles to the Indian Ocean, saying it was part of an operation to intercept vessels under sanctions.
On Monday, 9 Feb 2026 GMT+7, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that U.S. military personnel had taken control of an oil tanker after tracking it for thousands of miles from the Caribbean Sea to the Indian Ocean.
U.S. officials identified the vessel as the "Aquila II," which was operating in violation of the U.S. "Caribbean Maritime Interdiction Sanctions" order.
"This ship fled, and we pursued," the Department of Defense said on social media, adding, "By land, air, or sea, our military will find you and take enforcement action."
Since 2025, the U.S. has seized at least seven oil tankers amid the Trump administration's stringent controls on Venezuela's oil supply, a key economic resource for the country.
The U.S. military arrested Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro at his Caracas residence during a raid last December and has enforced measures blocking Venezuela's oil exports.
"When the Department of Defense says interdiction, we mean it," the department wrote on X, stating nothing will stop the U.S. military from enforcing the law "even if it is in oceans on the other side of the world."
The U.S. blockade has significantly reduced Venezuela's oil exports, with only shipments related to Chevron Corporation and bound for the United States continuing as usual.
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Source:bbc