The vessel was flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure order, according to US officials cited by US media.By News AgenciesPublished On 21 Dec 202521 Dec 2025Click here to share on social mediashare2ShareThe United States is pursuing an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela, US media reported, in what would be the second such operation in two days and the third in less than two weeks.“The United States Guard is in active pursuit of a sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela’s illegal sanctions evasion,” a US official told the Reuters news agency on Sunday.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list“It is flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure order.”Another official told the agency that the tanker was under sanctions, but added that it had not been boarded so far and that interceptions can take different forms – including sailing or flying close to vessels of concern.The officials, who were speaking on condition of anonymity, did not give a specific location for the operation or name the vessel being pursued.The pursuit of the tanker was also reported by The Associated Press news agency, which cited an official briefed on the operation separately.The official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said Sunday’s pursuit involved “a sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela’s illegal sanctions evasion.”The official also said that the vessel was flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure order.Two tankers seized The pursuit comes after the US seized an oil tanker off Venezuela on Saturday as part of a “blockade” ordered by US President Donald Trump.US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on Saturday that the coastguard apprehended the vessel with support from the Pentagon. Advertisement “The United States will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund narco terrorism in the region,” she wrote.“We will find you, and we will stop you,” she added.The operation marked the second time in recent weeks that the US has seized a tanker near Venezuela, and it comes amid a large US military build-up in the region.Trump, whose administration has continued …
