WASHINGTON (TNND) — U.S. military forces this week boarded and seized a seventh oil tanker linked to Venezuela, intensifying the Trump administration’s effort to take control of the country’s oil.
The U.S. Southern Command shared the news in a social media post on Tuesday.
“This morning, U.S. military forces, in support of the Department of Homeland Security, apprehended Motor Vessel Sagitta without incident,” U.S. Southern Command announced on X.
“The apprehension of another tanker operating in defiance of President [Donald] Trump’s established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean demonstrates our resolve to ensure that the only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully,” the post noted.
US forces seize seventh Venezuelan oil tanker, intensify crackdown on illegal shipments (Screenshot from video courtesy of U.S. Southern Command)
The military command did not say whether the U.S. Coast Guard took control of the tanker, which has been the case in prior seizures. It added that the vessel was apprehended “without incident.”
As part of Operation Southern Spear, U.S. Southern Command said military forces are reaffirming that “the security of the American people is paramount, demonstrating our commitment to safety and stability.”
“Through #OpSouthernSpear, the @DeptofWar is unwavering in its mission to crush illicit activity in the Western Hemisphere in partnership with @USCG, @DHSgov and @TheJusticeDept.,” according to the post.
U.S. Southern Command said the operations “are backed by the full power our elite joint force team deployed in the Caribbean.”
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EDITOR’S NOTE: The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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