The US has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela—an operation reportedly led by the US Coast Guard—there are signs that American activity in a region where more than 15,000 US personnel operate may be entering a more intense phase.
The move has coincided with a spike in oil futures, potentially undermining former president Donald Trump’s frequent boasts about lower petrol prices compared with the Biden era. Serious legal and political questions now emerge, including whether the seizure signals the beginning of a naval blockade, whether the tanker was flying a Venezuelan flag, and what the US intends to do with what Trump called “the largest one ever seized.” Trump added that it had been “an interesting day from the standpoint of news,” hinting that “other things are happening.”
Reuters, citing three anonymous US officials, reported that the tanker was taken near Venezuela, though no details were provided about its destination or the justification for the action.
US forces board a tanker off Venezuela
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