Tehran - BORNA - U.S. media reported that the United States seized the vessel near Venezuelan shores, a move that significantly escalates ongoing tensions between Washington and Caracas.
On Saturday, Reuters reported that U.S. forces seized another tanker near Venezuela in international waters. Caracas described the incident as a direct attack on its national sovereignty and a deliberate attempt to "strangle" the country’s economy.
Three U.S. officials confirmed the operation, which comes just days after U.S. President Donald Trump issued an order for a "total blockade of all sanctioned tankers traveling to and from Venezuela."
The White House has declined to provide the exact geographical coordinates of the seizure and has offered no transparency regarding the scope or legal basis for the action.
While Washington continues to characterize its actions as part of a "war on drug trafficking," the operation bears little resemblance to traditional counter-narcotics missions. Instead, reports suggest these actions align more closely with a broader strategy to enforce sanctions against Venezuela’s energy sector—the backbone of the country's economy and the government’s primary source of revenue.
Venezuelan officials have branded the seizure as "piracy" and "economic warfare." Caracas maintains that U.S. actions are part of an extensive campaign to topple the government and loot Venezuela’s natural resources under the guise of "combating drug trafficking."
The Venezuelan government has vowed that the "abduction" of the tanker by the U.S. will not go unanswered and announced it would file a formal complaint with the United Nations Security Council.
The U.S. actions have had immediate practical and economic consequences. Reportedly, Venezuelan oil exports have plummeted following the seizure of the sanctioned tanker. Shipping data reveals that most oil shipments have either halted or stayed away from Venezuelan ports.
Tankers scheduled to load Venezuelan crude have either changed course or turned back to avoid U.S. naval patrols, causing major logistical disruptions.
Oil storage capacity in Venezuela is rapidly reaching its limit, sparking concerns that the state-owned oil company, PDVSA, may soon be forced to cut production if the export blockade continues. Markets have already reacted with short-term price volatility, reflecting supply concerns following the U.S. oil blockade in the Caribbean region.
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