Trump’s oil blockade expands as stateless 'Sophia' and Russian-flagged ships targeted in Caribbean

The United States has carried out a dramatic pre-dawn seizure of a second oil tanker at sea, intensifying its crackdown on sanctioned maritime oil trade. US forces intercepted what they called a stateless “dark fleet” vessel during a joint military and coast guard operation, triggering sharp protests from Moscow. The tanker’s shadowy movements, sudden name changes and disputed registration have raised new questions over enforcement on the high seas.