The US has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, a move that raised oil prices and is likely to further inflame tensions between Washington and Caracas.
"We've just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, large tanker, very large, largest one ever, actually, and other things are happening," Trump said.
Trump has ordered a massive US military build-up in the region, including an aircraft carrier, fighter jets and tens of thousands of troops.
The seizure could signal new and intensifying efforts to go after Venezuela's oil, the country's main source of revenue.
Three US officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the operation was led by the US Coast Guard. They did not name the tanker, which country's flag it was flying or exactly where the interdiction took place.
British maritime risk management group Vanguard said the tanker Skipper was believed to have been seized off Venezuela early on Wednesday. The US has imposed sanctions on the tanker for what Washington said was involvement in Iranian oil trading when it was called the Adisa.
The Venezuelan Government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Venezuela exported more than 900,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil last month, the third-highest monthly average so far this year, as state-run company PDVSA imported more naphtha to dilute its extra heavy oil output.
Even amid increasing pressure over illegitimate Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Washington had not moved to interfere with the country’s oil flows.
Oil exports are Venezuela’s main source of revenue. The country is struggling to sell its crude at full price in China, the main destination of its oil exports, due to growing competition with sanctioned oil from Russia and Iran.
(Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart, additional reporting by Jonathan Saul, editing by Chris Reese and Chizu Nomiyama)
