A shadow fleet of oil tankers linked to Iran has been operating just miles off the U.S. coastline in the Caribbean, raising serious concerns among American officials and security analysts.
Maritime tracking organizations report that these vessels are part of a covert network used to transport sanctioned oil for Iran, Venezuela, and allied regimes.
According to the Daily Mail, the presence of these ships so close to U.S. waters has sparked alarm, particularly as tensions rise over President Trump’s expanding efforts to pressure the Venezuelan government.
Experts monitoring the fleet say it includes more than a dozen tankers tied directly to Iran, along with additional vessels connected to Venezuelan and Russian oil operations.
These ships are believed to employ deceptive practices such as turning off tracking systems, falsifying ownership records, and conducting ship-to-ship transfers at sea to evade international sanctions.
Analysts warn that this shadow network represents a growing national security risk and could provoke a direct confrontation if enforcement actions escalate.
The situation intensified following a recent U.S. operation in which American authorities seized a large oil tanker near Venezuela carrying nearly two million barrels of crude.
The ship was allegedly part of a sanctions-evasion scheme involving Iranian and Venezuelan oil interests. Executed under a federal warrant, the seizure marked a significant escalation in Washington’s enforcement of sanctions against Venezuela’s energy sector.
The Trump administration has defended the move as a necessary step to disrupt illicit revenue streams that help sustain the Nicolás Maduro regime.
U.S. officials argue that profits from these oil shipments fund criminal networks, corruption, and activities hostile to American interests. Law enforcement agencies have emphasized that the tanker was lawfully seized under existing sanctions laws.
Venezuela’s government strongly condemned the action, calling it an act of international piracy and theft of sovereign resources.
The seizure has also drawn criticism from some U.S. lawmakers, who question whether aggressive maritime enforcement could draw the country into a broader regional conflict.
Critics warn that escalating sanctions enforcement at sea risks entangling the United States in direct confrontations with Venezuela’s allies, including Iran.
International reaction has further inflamed tensions. Iranian officials have accused the United States of violating maritime law, while governments aligned with Caracas, such as Cuba and Russia, have voiced support for Venezuela.
Meanwhile, analysts note that the U.S. naval presence in the Caribbean is now at its highest level in decades, underscoring how seriously Washington views the threat posed by these oil networks.
End Time Headlines is a ministry founded, owned, and operated by Ricky Scaparo, established in 2010 to equip believers and inform discerning individuals about the “Signs and Seasons” of the times in which we live. Ricky authors original articles and curates news from mainstream sources, carefully selecting topics, verifying information, and utilizing artificial intelligence tools to ensure content is both timely and accurate. Every piece is personally reviewed and edited by Ricky to align with the ministry’s mission of providing a prophetic perspective on current events.