U.S. seizes Venezuelan oil tanker, escalating tensions

AWANI

The U.S. seized a sanctioned oil tanker off Venezuela, escalating tensions as President Trump signals tougher action against Maduro while Caracas accuses Washington of “piracy”.

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00:00The United States has seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela,

00:06a move President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday.

00:08This marks the first time ever the administration has intercepted a Venezuela-linked oil cargo

00:14under sanctions imposed in 2019.

00:19The Venezuelan government immediately condemned the operation as blatant theft and international piracy,

00:25vowing to take the case to global institutions.

00:27It also comes as Trump has repeatedly floated the possibility of military action

00:33against President Nicolas Maduro's government.

00:36U.S. officials said the operation, involving the FBI, Homeland Security, the Coast Guard

00:42and military support, targeted a tanker accused of moving sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran.

00:48Maritime security groups identified the ship as the VLCC skipper,

00:52sanctioned for its role in Iranian oil trading.

00:55The seizure comes as Maduro accuses the U.S. of seeking to overthrow him

01:00and control the country's vast oil reserves.

01:03The escalation also coincides with Trump's new foreign policy strategy,

01:07which centers on reasserting U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere.

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