A shadow fleet of Iranian-linked oil tankers is operating dangerously close to the U.S., raising alarms as President Donald Trump escalates military pressure in the Caribbean.
The vessels, long known for transporting sanctioned oil, have been spotted just miles from the American coastline as the administration continues striking alleged narco terror operations tied to Venezuela.
A bombshell report reveals a clandestine network of at least 20 illicit tankers currently active in Caribbean waters, serving as a financial lifeline for the regimes of Iran, Venezuela, and Russia.
According to United Against Nuclear Iran, at least 11 of the ships are directly linked to Iran’s oil trade, with others tied to Russian and Venezuelan operations that evade international sanctions.
Among the most notorious vessels is the Skipper, whose revenues reportedly fund Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah while supplying discounted oil to China.
UANI senior research analyst Jemima Shelley warned that the fleet’s presence near U.S. waters could drag Washington into a dangerous confrontation with Tehran.
She said Iran’s alliance with Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro has created a volatile flashpoint as Trump ramps up enforcement in the region.
Shelley warned that Iran remains the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism and relies heavily on illicit oil sales to bankroll its nuclear ambitions and terror networks, per the Daily Mail.
She said revenue from these tankers has funded ballistic missile development and even plots targeting U.S. officials, including on American soil.
The threat became tangible this week when U.S. authorities seized the Skipper in a dramatic operation off the Venezuelan coast.
Attorney General Pam Bondi released footage showing helicopters hovering over the vessel as armed agents rappelled onto the deck to seize control.
The raid involved the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Coast Guard with support from the Department of War, marking the first seizure of Venezuelan oil cargo since sanctions were imposed in 2019.
Officials say the interception signals a major escalation as Iran-linked tankers expand operations beyond the Middle East and Asia into the Western Hemisphere.
UANI reports that at least ten additional dark fleet vessels in the Caribbean have previously transported more than 29 million barrels of Iranian crude, generating roughly $1.8 billion for Tehran.
Iran’s embassy in Caracas condemned the seizure, calling it a violation of international law, while Washington moved to formally sanction the Skipper.
Analysts say the fleet operates as an interchangeable network shared by Iran, Russia, and Venezuela, allowing sanctioned regimes to bypass enforcement with ease.
Shelley said the oil trade serves as the primary funding source for Iran’s nuclear program and its global terrorist operations.
She warned that these revenues also support assassination plots targeting U.S. citizens and allies.
The White House signaled that further seizures are likely as Trump intensifies pressure on Maduro’s government and its foreign backers.
A senior administration official said the president remains committed to cutting off Iran’s revenue streams and preventing the regime from acquiring nuclear weapons.
With U.S. forces now actively hunting the so-called Ghost Armada, officials say the shadow fleet’s days of operating freely near American waters may be numbered.
