US forces have seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, according to people familiar with the operation, signaling a sharp escalation in tensions between both nations. Officials from the White House, PDVSA and Venezuela’s ministries did not immediately comment. The move could further hinder Venezuela’s already complicated oil exports, much of which goes to China at discounted rates due to sanctions.
The Trump administration has intensified pressure on President Nicolas Maduro, accusing his government of running a narcotrafficking operation. The Pentagon has carried out more than 20 strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels, with President Donald Trump repeatedly warning that Maduro’s “days are numbered.” Venezuela has dismissed the actions as an attempt to seize its vast oil reserves and has deployed troops and equipment to coastal areas and border regions in response.