In a dramatic display of military force, United States special operations units have intercepted and seized a massive crude oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast, escalating tensions between Washington and the government of Nicolás Maduro. The operation, captured in official footage released by US authorities, shows camouflaged soldiers fast-roping from helicopters onto the deck of the vessel identified as the Skipper.
The Trump administration justifies the seizure as part of its campaign against international terrorism financing, claiming the tanker was involved in an ‘illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations.’ According to US Attorney General Pam Bondi, the vessel had been under sanctions for years for allegedly generating revenue for Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil has condemned the action as ‘international piracy,’ accusing President Trump of attempting to plunder Venezuela’s energy resources. The South American nation possesses the world’s largest known crude oil reserves, though extraction is complicated by the oil’s heavy viscosity and aging infrastructure exacerbated by US sanctions.
The operation involved coordinated efforts between multiple US agencies including the Coast Guard, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and Department of Defense. A specialized Maritime Security and Response Team—trained in counterterrorism and high-risk enforcement procedures—conducted the boarding from the USS Gerald Ford, the world’s largest warship currently deployed in the Caribbean.
Maritime intelligence firms indicate the Skipper had been spoofing its location for an extended period while operating as part of the ‘dark fleet’ used to transport sanctioned commodities. The vessel, measuring 333 meters with a capacity of approximately 1.8 million barrels, had recently transferred about 200,000 barrels to another ship before its interception. At current global crude prices around $61 per barrel, the remaining oil could be valued at over $95 million.
This seizure represents the latest escalation in Washington’s pressure campaign against Maduro’s government, which has included designating Venezuelan criminal groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and deploying 15,000 troops to the region under the guise of combating drug trafficking. The administration claims it is engaged in a ‘non-international armed conflict’ with narco-terrorists, though legal experts question the legitimacy of military strikes that have killed more than 80 people in international waters since September.