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Attorney General Pam Bondi released video footage Wednesday of U.S. forces seizing a Venezuelan crude oil tanker, a bold move last ordered more than a decade ago.
Video footage showed FBI and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents, along with U.S. Coast Guard members, with support from the Department of War, executing a precise seizure of the tanker, which was being used to move sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran.
Armed personnel in tactical gear rappelled from a helicopter above the vessel off the Venezuelan coast Wednesday, landing on the deck of the ship and entering with weapons drawn.
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“For multiple years, the oil tanker has been sanctioned by the United States due to its involvement in an illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations,” Bondi wrote in a statement on X.
“This seizure, completed off the coast of Venezuela, was conducted safely and securely—and our investigation alongside the Department of Homeland Security to prevent the transport of sanctioned oil continues.”
FBI Director Kash Patel said in an X post the administration’s “efforts to crush FTO’s” and cut off their resources will “continue day and night.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem added, “If you threaten our nation or break the law, there is no place on land or sea where we won’t find you. Thank you to our brave service members. America FIRST.”
President Donald Trump noted at the White House Wednesday that the tanker was the “largest one ever seized action,” adding “other things are happening.”
“You’ll be seeing that later,” Trump said. “And you’ll be talking about that later with some other people.”
The Navy confirmed to Fox News Wednesday that 15% of U.S.-deployed Navy ships are in the Caribbean region.
It is unclear what percentage of U.S. Naval assets are in the region.
The Venezuelan government condemned Wednesday’s U.S. action, calling it “a blatant theft and an act of international piracy,” in a statement.
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The last time the public was made aware of the U.S. military seizing a foreign oil tanker was in 2014, when Navy SEALs boarded and took over a ship previously seized by three armed men at a Libyan port who were attempting to sell the nationalized Libyan oil on the black market, Fox News Digital previously reported.
About 30 men from Navy SEAL team 2 embarked from the USS Roosevelt, using inflatable boats and ladders to get on board the MV Morning Glory oil tanker and detained the rebels.
There were no casualties during the 2014 mission, which was carried out on orders from former President Barack Obama in international waters southeast of Cyprus at the request of the Libyan and Cypriot governments.
The administration’s latest action is expected to further strain ties with Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro’s government, which is already under sweeping U.S. oil sanctions, and follows 22 U.S. strikes on alleged narco-traffickers near Venezuela that have killed 87 people.
The Trump administration is also weighing land strikes to increase pressure on Maduro, whom the administration deems Venezuela’s illegitimate leader, after recent talks between the two countries failed to produce a deal for his exit.
The White House could not immediately be reached for comment.
Fox News’ Morgan Phillips and Justin Fishel, Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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