The Department of War announced that U.S. forces successfully boarded the oil tanker Veronica III, which had attempted to evade a quarantine order imposed by the Trump administration. This operation took place in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area, where the vessel was tracked from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean before it was shut down. The Department emphasized that no other nation possesses the capability or resolve to conduct such extensive tracking operations in international waters.

In its statement, the Department asserted that international waters are not a safe haven for illicit activities, signaling the U.S. military's commitment to ensuring maritime security. The government underlined that it would pursue and halt any unlawful activities on the seas, reinforcing its stance against the use of maritime routes for illegal oil transport, especially in the context of ongoing sanctions related to Venezuela.

The boarding of the Veronica III adds to a series of maritime interceptions by the U.S. military aimed at enforcing sanctions and blocking the operations of sanctioned entities. This increasing military presence in international waters raises implications for global maritime law and the dynamics of international relations, particularly in maintaining sanctions against nations like Venezuela that the U.S. has targeted for its oil trade.