U.S. says it has seized an oil tanker that was last docked in Venezuela

[ad_1]

World

The United States on Saturday seized an oil tanker that was last docked in Venezuela, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a post on social media platform X.

Washington claims it is targeting tankers that ‘fund narco terrorism in the region’

Text to Speech Icon

Listen to this article

Estimated 1 minute

The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.

This screencap from a video shows a helicopter flying toward an oil tanker in the ocean.
This screenshot from a video posted on social media Saturday by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem purports to show the U.S. Coast Guard apprehending an oil tanker. (@Sec_Noem/X)

The U.S. on Saturday seized an oil tanker that was last docked in Venezuela, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a post on social media platform X.

“The United States will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund narco terrorism in the region,” Noem wrote. The U.S. Coast Guard apprehended the vessel before dawn with support from the Pentagon, she said.

The news comes days after the U.S. seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly raised the possibility of U.S. military intervention in Venezuela in an effort to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and has ordered a massive U.S. military buildup in the region.

The U.S. has carried out strikes against suspected drug vessels, which has raised concerns among lawmakers and legal experts.

Maduro has alleged that the U.S. military buildup off Venezuela’s coast is aimed at overthrowing him and gaining control of the OPEC nation’s vast oil reserves.

Corrections and clarifications·Submit a news tip·

[ad_2]

Source link

Leave a Reply