US Navy Intercepts Tanker in Indian Ocean after Pursuit from the Caribbean

The Pentagon has confirmed the successful interception of a Panama-flagged oil tanker in the Indian Ocean after the vessel attempted to evade a US-led blockade in the Caribbean.

The vessel, identified as the Veronica III, was apprehended on Sunday following a high-stakes pursuit spanning thousands of nautical miles.

According to a statement released by the Pentagon on X, the tanker had been attempting to defy sanctions-related maritime restrictions recently ordered by President Donald Trump.

A global pursuit

Military officials tracked the ship’s movement from the Caribbean basin across the Atlantic and into the Indian Ocean.

The Pentagon noted that the crew had “hoped to escape” the blockade, but US forces were able to close the distance and “neutralize” the vessel’s progress once it was cornered.

Context of the blockade

The Veronica III is the latest vessel caught in the crosshairs of a blockade aimed at ships operating under international sanctions.

While the Pentagon did not disclose the tanker’s final destination, the interception marks a significant extension of US maritime enforcement far beyond its domestic waters.

“We followed it from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, closed the distance and neutralized it,” the Pentagon stated.

Source: Defi Media