Overview
- President Trump announced the boarding and said the United States intends to keep the oil cargo.
- Attorney General Pam Bondi posted video of armed personnel fast‑roping from a helicopter as the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and the Coast Guard executed the seizure with Defense support.
- MarineTraffic identified the vessel as the 333‑meter Skipper carrying about 1.1 million barrels, and the tanker was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in 2022 for alleged links to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah.
- Venezuela denounced the operation as international piracy, Russia and Cuba expressed support for Caracas, and the U.N. secretary‑general urged avoiding actions that could destabilize the region.
- Pentagon sources told U.S. media the move was intended to signal other tankers waiting to load Venezuelan crude, with tracking data showing some ships switching off transponders and analysts warning of pressure on Venezuela’s exports.