Overnight in the Caribbean Sea, the U.S. seized yet another oil tanker—marking the fifth vessel taken in recent weeks as the Trump Administration ramps up its extensive campaign to cut off Venezuela’s oil exports and take charge of maritime trade it claims is full of sanctions violators.
Early Friday, the Olina tanker was boarded and placed under U.S. custody during an operation conducted by the Coast Guard and a U.S. military unit called Joint Task Force Southern Spear. The military the seizure on social media, framing it as part of an “unwavering” initiative aimed at “ending illicit activity and restoring security in the Western Hemisphere.”
This overnight action is the Trump Administration’s newest step to enforce what officials have called a global blockade on sanctioned Venezuelan oil. Earlier this week, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that the blockade applies “anywhere in the world”—a statement that has worried shipping firms and prompted strong objections from Venezuela and its allies.
Per shipping logs and industry insiders, the Olina had recently departed Venezuelan waters and returned to the region after trying to transport oil amid the blockade, according to —which also noted the vessel was falsely flying Timor Leste’s flag.
Previously named the Minerva M, the Olina was by the U.S. last year for its alleged role in the so-called shadow fleet—a loosely regulated network of tankers with opaque ownership and insurance used to move sanctioned oil.
This move came just days after the U.S. the Bella 1 in the North Atlantic following a weekslong chase. U.S. officials said the ship, which fled the Venezuelan blockade, had renamed itself the Marinera and hoisted a Russian flag.
Late Thursday, in a , President Donald Trump stated Russia had dispatched a submarine and destroyer to protect the vessel, but naval escorts withdrew once U.S. forces arrived. “They chose not to tangle with us,” Trump said.
He added the U.S. will take “trillions of dollars” worth of oil, with proceeds controlled by the U.S. rather than Venezuela’s interim authorities. “We’ll stay until we fix the country,” Trump said, noting he will meet several Big Oil executives Friday to discuss restoring Venezuela’s oil infrastructure.
Earlier this week, U.S. forces also seized the sanctioned tanker Sophia, which officials said had engaged in illicit activities in the Caribbean. Together, these actions reflect an increasingly aggressive campaign launched last month, when the U.S. seized two oil tankers off Venezuela’s coast as part of the blockade.
This stepped-up enforcement follows the dramatic Jan. 3 U.S. operation that captured Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro, leaving the country’s oil industry in turmoil.
Venezuela relies heavily on oil exports, and the Trump Administration argues cutting off these revenues is essential to curbing corruption, weakening hostile governments, and enforcing international sanctions. However, expanding seizures have raised questions about U.S. legal boundaries on the high seas and the risk of broader confrontation with Russia, a long-time Maduro ally.