The United States announced it seized the tanker Aquila II in the Indian Ocean after it fled a Caribbean blockade tied to sanctions on shipments linked to Venezuela, with the Pentagon confirming the seizure following an AFP inquiry and noting the boarding occurred without incident.

U.S. forces tracked and intercepted the Aquila II as it moved from the Caribbean toward the Indian Ocean, in a broader push to enforce sanctions on Venezuelan oil shipments.

Although the Pentagon did not state a direct Venezuela link in its formal statement, the action fits within ongoing U.S. efforts to restrict Venezuelan oil production and revenue and to influence related oil shipments.

Current cargo status of the Aquila II remains unclear, with reporting indicating it was not laden with crude oil at the time.

Officials indicated more details would follow as the story develops, with the Pentagon’s account released in brief statements to AFP and on X (formerly Twitter).

There is limited information on the tanker’s origin, destination, ownership, or the precise legal basis for the seizure, but the core narrative centers on the Pentagon’s confirmation and sanctions enforcement context.

While the Pentagon did not confirm a direct Venezuela link, the broader objective remains to curb Venezuelan oil production and revenues, including related moves against oil flows to Cuba.

Commentary notes that the seized ships are a small fraction of the roughly 800 sanctioned vessels cited by officials at a recent congressional hearing.

Since Maduro’s ouster, U.S. actions have aimed to influence Venezuela’s oil industry and economy and to restrict oil flows to Cuba, including proposed tariffs on goods from oil-supplying countries.

Authorities have previously seized several sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers, viewing such seizures as a lever to reform Venezuela’s oil sector and expense amid broader sanctions enforcement.

The broader context includes efforts to limit oil shipments to Cuba and pressure allies involved in Venezuelan oil, with potential tariffs on goods from those oil-supplying countries.

Details about Aquila II’s registration could not be confirmed from shipping databases at the time.