Pentagon: Seizure of Venezuelan Oil Tanker in the Indian Ocean

The U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) announced on Monday that U.S. forces seized an oil tanker in the Indian Ocean after spotting it violating the blockade imposed on the Caribbean region.

The Pentagon clarified that the tanker had departed from Venezuela before being intercepted in the waters between the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra, as part of a security operation aimed at preventing smuggling activities that violate imposed sanctions.

The statement noted that the operation is part of the United States' efforts to monitor maritime shipping and enforce international measures related to sanctions, without disclosing additional details regarding the fate of the cargo or the crew.