US boards second tanker in Indian Ocean after tracking it from Caribbean

February 15, 2026

The U.S. military intercepted the Panamanian-flagged vessel Veronica III in the Indian Ocean after monitoring its movements from the Caribbean, marking the second such operation within a week as part of expanded enforcement against Venezuelan oil sanctions. The tanker, which had departed Venezuela in early January carrying nearly two million barrels of crude, has allegedly been transporting oil from multiple sanctioned nations since 2023. This interception represents part of a broader campaign that has resulted in at least seven tanker seizures since last year, significantly reducing Venezuelan oil exports to approximately 400,000 barrels daily by January.

Who is affected

Venezuelan government and President Nicolas Maduro
Operators and crew of the Veronica III and Aquila II tankers
Oil monitoring group TankerTrackers.com
Chevron (exempted from blockade restrictions)
Companies and entities involved in transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela, Russia, and Iran
U.S. Treasury Department (sanctions enforcement agency)
Analytics firm Kpler

What action is being taken

The U.S. military is tracking, intercepting, and boarding oil tankers suspected of violating Venezuelan sanctions
The U.S. is enforcing a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela
The Pentagon is conducting maritime interdiction operations in international waters, including the Indian Ocean

Why it matters

This represents a significant escalation in U.S. enforcement of oil sanctions, demonstrating America's willingness and capability to conduct long-range interdiction operations far from its shores. The blockade has effectively cut Venezuelan oil exports in half, severely impacting the country's economy and ability to generate revenue through its primary export commodity. The operations also signal to other sanctioned nations like Russia and Iran that the U.S. will pursue enforcement actions globally, potentially reshaping international oil trade routes and relationships.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC