US military boards another oil tanker in Indian Ocean after tracking it from the Caribbean

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Associated PressFebruary 15, 2026 at 11:46 PM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

U.S. military forces boarded the Veronica III, a sanctioned, Panamanian-flagged oil tanker, in the Indian Ocean. The U.S. tracked the vessel from the Caribbean Sea, alleging it was attempting to evade sanctions related to Venezuelan oil. The boarding was conducted as a "right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding," according to the Pentagon. The U.S. claims the tanker defied a quarantine order issued by then-President Trump aimed at pressuring Venezuela. The Veronica III is also under U.S. sanctions related to Iran, according to the Treasury Department.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Iran 40% Panama 40% Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control 40% Defense Department 50% Nicolás Maduro (Maduro) ×260% Pentagon ×360% Caribbean Sea ×260% Veronica III ×370% Donald Trump ×270% Indian Ocean ×270% Venezuela ×380% United States ×590%

Keywords

oil tanker 90% sanctions 80% us military 80% maritime interdiction 70% illicit oil 70% venezuela 70% shadow fleet 60% indian ocean 60% veronica iii 60% donald trump 50%