# UNCLOS

US Forces Intercept Panama‑Flagged Tanker in Indian Ocean After Caribbean Pursuit

US forces boarded the Panama‑flagged tanker Veronica III in the Indian Ocean after tracking it from the Caribbean, in a manifestation of Washington’s enforcement of a December 2025 blockade on sanctioned Venezuelan shipping. The move raises legal questions under the law of the sea, practical risks for shipping and insurance markets, and potential diplomatic fallout with flag states.