Third Oil Tanker in U.S. Crosshairs as Venezuela Pressure Builds
Military.com | By Darius Radzius
Published December 23, 2025 at 8:09am ET
U.S. forces, led by the Coast Guard, are now chasing a third oil tanker near Venezuela, sharply escalating a high-stakes crackdown aimed at the country’s sanctioned crude trade.
The Coast Guard is working with federal partners to track another oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela suspected of moving crude in violation of U.S. sanctions, official said. The pursuit comes days after two other tankers were seized, marking a broader escalation by the Trump administration to cut off oil revenue tied to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and to warn foreign buyers that sanctioned shipments now face direct interdiction.
The latest pursuit per officials is unfolding in the Caribbean—an area that has become a focal point of stepped-up U.S. sanctions enforcement. The Coast Guard has not confirmed whether the vessel has been boarded, diverted or escorted, citing the active nature of the operation and ongoing coordination among federal agencies involved in maritime security and sanctions enforcement.
Third Oil Tanker in U.S. Crosshairs as Venezuela Pressure Builds | Military.com
US (So Far) Fails to Capture Third Venezuela Tanker. What Does the US Do to Restore Its Manhood? Allow Privateers via Letters of Marque?
Posted on December 23, 2025 by Yves Smith
If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? If a much-ballyhooed US show of force, here the seizing of a tanker as part of a purported Venezuela blockade, was reported as having happened when it has not yet and may not come off, is US military machismo still intact? And if not, what does the US do next?
Mind you, the facts may change after this post goes live, but as of now, the last major media news report on the status of Bella-1, the third of three “sanctioned” Venezuela-serving oil tankers targeted for US seizure is still free. It is currently under Chinese ownership, apparently intended to carry a cargo from Venezuela to China. Bloomberg and perhaps other outlets had reported this third targeted tanker as boarded (the US had just captured another tanker over the weekend). But searches now show headlines (perhaps including corrected ones?) depicting the third vessel as still under pursuit. From the BBC in Trump says US is pursuing third oil tanker linked to Venezuela as of 9 hours ago; there are slightly older reports along these lines and nothing more current from big outlets:
The US Coast Guard is still pursuing a vessel in international waters near Venezuela as tensions in the region escalate, President Donald Trump has confirmed.
“We’re actually pursuing” the tanker, Trump said on Monday….
The current chase is related to a “sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela’s illegal sanctions evasion”, a US official told the BBC’s partner CBS News.
Late on Saturday the US Coast Guard approached an oil tanker, which US officials said was not flying a valid national flag, the New York Times reported.
Confirming the chase on Monday, President Trump said: “It’s moving along. We’ll end up getting it.”
The president said that the US would hold onto the seized oil and the vessels carrying it.
“We’re going to keep it… maybe we’ll sell it, maybe we’ll keep it”, he said.
“Maybe we’ll use it in the strategic reserves. We’re keeping it, we’re keeping the ships also.”
US (So Far) Fails to Capture Third Venezuela Tanker. What Does the US Do to Restore Its Manhood? Allow Privateers via Letters of Marque? | naked capitalism |
