U.S. Forces Seize Sanctioned Tanker Sagitta in Caribbean Enforcement Operation

U.S. military forces have seized control of the oil tanker Sagitta in the Caribbean, marking the seventh vessel intercepted as part of an expanded campaign to enforce international sanctions on illicit oil trade. The operation was conducted by the U.S. Southern Command reportedly concluded without resistance or injuries.

The Sagitta, a foreign-flagged tanker, was identified as operating in violation of U.S. sanctions targeting unauthorized transport of oil linked to Venezuela and other restricted sources. U.S. officials said the vessel had been under monitoring due to its suspected role in evading established trade controls and maritime regulations.

According to authorities, the tanker had previously disappeared from standard vessel-tracking systems, a tactic commonly associated with sanctioned shipping networks. Surveillance assets tracked the ship’s movements before U.S. forces moved in to secure the vessel while it was operating in Caribbean waters.