Shafaq News- Washington

The US forces seized an oil tanker in the Indian Ocean after it violated restrictions imposed by US President Donald Trump on shipping in the Caribbean and fled the region, the US Department of War announced on Monday, adding that its troops boarded the tanker Aquila II without incident.

Responding to a query from Agence France-Presse (AFP), the Department of War clarified that the forces detained the vessel without providing further details on the tanker’s ownership, cargo, or destination.

Since the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, US forces have maintained more than 15,000 troops and several warships in the Caribbean.

Earlier, the United States seized the oil tanker Olena after it departed from Venezuela, as US forces operating from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford took control of the vessel in the Caribbean. In December 2024, US forces also intercepted three oil tankers off Venezuela’s coast.