A US helicopter flies low over a hazy blue sea as it approaches a massive ship. It hovers as camouflaged soldiers holding rifles swing down ropes to the vessel's deck.

The video, released by the US government, shows the latest in a series of escalations in Washington's pressure campaign on Nicolás Maduro's government – the seizure of a crude oil tanker.

The US claims the tanker is used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran in an 'illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations'.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil has called the seizure 'international piracy' and claims US President Donald Trump wants Venezuela's energy resources.

The operation

We have just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela - a large tanker, very large, the largest one ever seized actually, Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday.

The footage of the operation was shared by Attorney General Pam Bondi on social media. Bondi said a seizure warrant for the tanker was carried out by the US Coast Guard, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Department of Defence.

The 45-second video shows a US team boarding the ship. The operation involved two helicopters, 10 marines, and a special operations response team created for high-risk law enforcement.

The oil tanker

Maritime risk company Vanguard Tech identified the vessel as the Skipper, which has reportedly been using false positioning tactics. It is classified as a very large crude carrier (VLCC), involved in the trade of sanctioned goods.

The seized oil

Trump suggested, We keep it, I guess... I assume we're going to keep the oil, highlighting its potential value given the global crude oil price of approximately $61 per barrel. This operation has led to speculation and political fallout given its implications for both the US and Venezuelan economies.

The wider US pressure campaign

Amid escalating tensions, the Trump administration has focused on drug trafficking and designated Venezuelan criminal groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations. The US military presence in the Caribbean, including extensive naval deployments, underscores the intensified approach toward Venezuela and its oil resources.