US Military Intercepts Third Sanctioned Tanker in Indian Ocean

In a strategic move to curb illicit oil operations connected to Venezuela, US military forces boarded a third sanctioned oil tanker, identified as the Bertha, in the Indian Ocean. This operation, disclosed by the Pentagon on Tuesday, is a significant development in the enforcement of US sanctions against Venezuelan oil activities.

The interception of the Bertha marks the 10th instance of such enforcement by the US Trump administration, which has been actively targeting vessels associated with Venezuelan interests since early December. The operation included maritime interdiction tactics executed by the US Southern Command, marking the culmination of a tracking effort that began in the Caribbean.

The Bertha, flagged falsely under different nations and previously under Iranian sanctions, now remains under US jurisdiction pending decisions by the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department. The broader aim of these boardings is to weaken Venezuela's oil distribution network amidst ongoing sanctions and geopolitical tensions.