February 12, 2026: U.S. military forces have boarded a sanctioned crude oil tanker in the Indian Ocean after a prolonged pursuit that began in the Caribbean Sea, the Pentagon confirmed on Monday.
The vessel, identified as the Aquila II, was intercepted in international waters as part of ongoing U.S. efforts to enforce sanctions and a maritime quarantine on vessels linked to illicit oil shipments.
In a statement posted on social media, the U.S. Department of Defense said the operation was carried out without incident and described the measure as part of broader enforcement actions against ships that defy Washington’s restrictions.
The department emphasized its ability to track and intercept sanctioned vessels across multiple oceans. The Aquila II, a Panama‑flagged Suezmax tanker, had departed from Venezuelan waters earlier this year after a U.S. military operation in the region. It was being monitored after leaving the Caribbean, where U.S. forces have maintained a blockade aimed at curbing oil exports tied to Venezuela’s economy.
According to analysts, the ship had been operating without its automatic identification system (AIS) signal at times — a tactic known as “running dark” — often used to conceal movements at sea.
While U.S. officials did not confirm that the tanker was carrying crude at the time of interception, satellite and shipping data suggest it had previously loaded heavy Venezuelan oil bound for Asian markets. This action marks another instance in which U.S. forces have taken direct measures against vessels accused of violating sanctions.
The Trump administration has stepped up maritime interdictions in recent months, seizing or detaining multiple tankers in a campaign to restrict shipments of Venezuelan crude and associated products.
Defense officials have framed the interdiction as part of a larger strategy to uphold international sanctions and disrupt networks that facilitate barred oil trade, while critics question the legal scope of such operations far from national waters.
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