The US military tracked a sanctioned oil tanker from Venezuela all the way to the Indian Ocean, where it finally intercepted the vessel, ending a weeks-long pursuit that began in the Caribbean Sea. Hedges confirmed on Monday that the military boarded the oil tanker named Aquila II without any conflict. The US said the ship had left Venezuelan waters, violating an "isolation order" for sanctioned vessels, and attempted to transport crude oil. Its course eventually extended from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean before being intercepted by US forces. This is the eighth seizure operation under the US "Spear of the South" operation targeting so-called "shadow fleets," with multiple sanctioned oil tankers having been tracked, boarded, or seized previously as part of the Trump administration's efforts to curb Venezuela's oil exports and cut off its economic lifeline. The US stated it would continue to pursue vessels attempting to evade sanctions, with its naval power covering global waters. Venezuela and its allies criticized these actions as violations of international law, calling them "piracy."
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Original: toutiao.com/article/1856721082856458/
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