US Navy Seizes Venezuelan Oil Tanker Bound for China in Indian Ocean

• US Navy intercepted and seized the Venezuelan oil tanker Aquila II in the Indian Ocean, carrying 700,000 barrels of crude oil for China.
• This marks the first time the US has directly challenged a large oil cargo heading to China, sending a message to Jinping.
• The tanker was tracked from the Venezuelan coast after violating a US 'quarantine' in the Caribbean.
• US commandos boarded and took control of the ship near the Sunda Strait without incident.
• China condemned the action as 'international piracy' and a violation of sovereignty, fearing threats to its energy security.