U.S. military forces boarded the oil tanker Aquila II without incident following a pursuit that extended from the Caribbean Sea to the Indian Ocean, the Department of Defense confirmed on Monday.
In a statement released on the social network X, the entity made it clear the scope of the operation and Washington's determination to enforce the naval quarantine decreed by President Donald Trump against sanctioned vessels.
"When the Department of War speaks of quarantine, we mean it seriously. Nothing will stop the Department of War in the defense of our homeland, not even oceans halfway around the world," the institution stated.
According to U.S. authorities, the operation took place during the night and included a legal visit, maritime interdiction, and boarding of the tanker Aquila II, with no incidents reported, within the area of responsibility of the Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM).
"The Aquila II was operating in blatant disobedience of the quarantine established by President Trump regarding sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean. It fled, and we followed it," stated the Department of War.
The official message highlighted the global reach of American military power: “The War Department tracked and hunted this vessel from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean. No other nation on the planet has the capability to impose its will in any domain.”
The authorities were even more emphatic in warning that the United States will not tolerate challenges to its maritime authority: “By land, air, or sea, our Armed Forces will find you and deliver justice. You will run out of fuel long before you manage to escape from us.”
Washington also affirmed that it will continue to act against illegal networks and sanctioned actors: “The Department of War will deny illicit actors and their allies the ability to challenge U.S. power in the global maritime domain.”
A video released by the Department of Defense shows U.S. troops descending by ropes from a hovering helicopter to board a ship at sea.
Authorities have not revealed the cargo of the Aquila II or the vessel's final destination following the boarding. The situation is still developing, and official updates are expected in the coming hours.
The quarantine in the Caribbean and the background of recent interdictions
The pursuit and boarding of the tanker Aquila II occurs at a crucial moment for the maritime strategy of the United States in the Caribbean, marked by the so-called "quarantine" imposed by Trump as part of the pressure against the Venezuelan regime following the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
In early January, satellite images revealed that at least 11 oil tankers sanctioned by the U.S. managed to evade the maritime blockade, collectively transporting approximately 9.4 million barrels of crude oil from Venezuelan waters to the Caribbean and the Atlantic.
Among those vessels was precisely the Aquila II, alongside other tankers sanctioned for connections with Iran and Russia.
The discovery called into question the initial effectiveness of the quarantine, despite officials from the Trump administration describing it as a central tool of pressure. The Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, stated at the time that the measure provided Washington with "the greatest possible level of leverage" over Caracas.
However, energy experts warned that imposing a completely airtight maritime blockade is extremely difficult, and that the U.S. strategy combines deterrence, long-distance monitoring, and selective interdiction actions.
In this context, U.S. forces increased tracking and boarding operations. Days after the evasion of several tankers became known, the U.S. seized at least two additional vessels, including the Sophia in the Caribbean and the Marinera, a Russian-flagged ship, after a prolonged chase in the Atlantic, an action that provoked a formal protest from Moscow.
The approach of the Aquila II, following a chase that extended from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, marks a turning point in the enforcement of quarantine: Washington demonstrates that vessels that manage to initially escape are not out of U.S. reach, even if they leave the Caribbean region.
The operation reinforces the Trump administration's message that the quarantine is not limited to an immediate geographic perimeter, but rather relies on global capabilities for monitoring and interdiction to enforce sanctions and deny sanctioned actors the freedom to operate in international maritime domains.
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