The United States has seized a large oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, intensifying pressure on shipping networks accused of smuggling sanctioned crude oil and supporting foreign terrorist groups.
Gatekeepers News reports that the seized vessel, known as Skipper, had been under long-standing US sanctions for allegedly moving oil linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah.
US officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, released a video showing armed personnel rappelling from helicopters onto the tanker as part of the operation.
Bondi said the ship had been targeted because it was part of what the US calls an “illicit oil shipping network” that helped transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran.
President Donald Trump described the action as the largest tanker seizure ever conducted by the United States and said the move was justified.
Venezuela’s government condemned the operation, calling it an act of international piracy and blatant theft of its natural resources. Caracas said it plans to challenge the seizure before international bodies.
Analysts say the ship had been using deceptive practices such as spoofing its location data and flying a false flag, tactics common to so-called “shadow fleet” tankers that seek to evade sanctions enforcement.
The operation is part of a broader US campaign that may include seizing more vessels linked to sanctioned oil trades and imposing fresh penalties on companies and individuals involved.
The seizure has also triggered reaction in the global oil markets, with prices reacting to heightened geopolitical tensions and concerns about their stability of Venezuelan crude shipments under heavy sanctions.
