US forces board a Panamanian-flagged tanker in the Caribbean, escalating pressure on Caracas days after President Trump announced a blockade of sanctioned vessels.
WASHINGTON: US forces have stopped and boarded an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, according to US media reports.
It marks the second such interdiction in two weeks, following President Donald Trump’s announcement of a blockade targeting “sanctioned oil vessels” to and from Venezuela.
The New York Times reported the vessel was a Panamanian-flagged tanker carrying Venezuelan oil that had recently left Venezuela.
CNN reported the operation was supported by the US military and occurred in international waters.
It was not immediately clear if the seized vessel was under US sanctions.
The Pentagon referred questions to the White House, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
On December 10, US forces seized a large oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast, which the attorney general said was carrying sanctioned oil to Iran.
The United States has for months built a major military deployment in the Caribbean, stating its goal is to combat Latin American drug trafficking while taking particular aim at Venezuela.
There are currently 11 US warships in the region, including the world’s largest aircraft carrier.
Caracas views the operation as a campaign to push out leftist leader Nicolas Maduro and to “steal” Venezuelan oil.
The US military has also conducted air strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats since September, killing more than 100 people.