Operation comes days after US seized Russian-flagged tanker; US pledges to proceed blockade following Maduro abduction.
Revealed On 9 Jan 2026
The US navy has seized one other oil tanker within the Caribbean, because it continues to focus on vessels sanctioned by Washington in its stress marketing campaign towards Venezuela.
In a press release on Friday, the US navy Southern Command mentioned its forces had “apprehended” the Olina tanker “with out incident”.
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It didn’t say why the tanker was focused or supply additional particulars on alleged violations. The Wall Avenue Journal reported the tanker had beforehand been sanctioned by Washington for transporting Russian oil.
The operation comes two days after US forces seized two oil tankers, together with the Russian-flagged Marinera oil tanker, initially referred to as the Bella-1.
The US Division of Justice has since mentioned it was investigating the crew of the ship, which was seized within the northern Atlantic, for failing to adjust to coastguard orders and would pursue fees.
Russia has decried the seizure as a “gross violation” of worldwide maritime legislation and known as on the US to launch the crew.
Since US navy forces kidnapped Venezuelan chief Nicolas Maduro on Saturday, Washington has pledged to take care of its blockade on sanctioned oil tankers. It has additionally known as on Venezuela to staunch its ties with Russia and China.
US President Donald Trump has mentioned the operation towards Maduro – which has been roundly condemned as a flagrant violation of worldwide legislation – in addition to the continued sanctions and navy stress, is aimed toward opening the nation’s huge oil reserves to US corporations.
He was set to satisfy with oil and gasoline executives on the White Home afterward Friday.
The US seized one other tanker within the Caribbean earlier this week, the M Sophia, which the navy described as a “stateless” vessel. Panama later mentioned the ship’s flag had been cancelled by the nation final yr.
US forces had beforehand seized the Skipper tanker and the Centuries vessel in December.
That month, 4 United Nations specialists mentioned the US had no “proper to implement unilateral sanctions by means of an armed blockade”. It mentioned the blockade constituted an “unlawful armed aggression” below worldwide legislation.
A gaggle of UN specialists has extra lately mentioned that the Trump administration’s plan to indefinitely management Venezuela’s oil trade represents a violation of its residents’ proper to self-determination.
Early on Friday, Trump mentioned on Reality Social that the US and Venezuela have been “working effectively collectively, particularly because it pertains to rebuilding, in a a lot greater, higher, and extra fashionable type, their oil and gasoline infrastructure”.
“Due to this cooperation, I’ve cancelled the beforehand anticipated second Wave of Assaults,” he mentioned, including that US navy ships would stay deployed to the area.
