US Seizes Venezuelan Tanker and Conducts Strikes on Drug-Smuggling Boats Off Venezuela
On December 11, 2025, U.S. authorities seized the Venezuelan crude oil tanker Skipper off the coast of Venezuela. The seizure was framed by Attorney General Pam Bondi as a sanctions enforcement action rooted in a federal court warrant, not under wartime authority. The Skipper has been on a U.S. sanctions list for years due to its role in transporting crude tied to a Venezuela–Iran oil network that funds foreign terrorist organizations and is designated as blocked property. The Department of Justice obtained a federal warrant to seize the vessel under civil forfeiture statutes, with the operation involving the Coast Guard and assistance from the War Department. The legal basis for the seizure includes the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and OFAC regulations, targeting property of sanctioned entities abroad. Officials have emphasized that this is a civilian enforcement action, distinct from wartime-authority campaigns targeting narcotics vessels in international waters. Maritime-law considerations, such as whether the Skipper was stateless or fraudulently flagged, may affect the seizure's legality.
Earlier on September 2, 2025, two U.S. strikes were carried out on a boat off Venezuela reportedly ferrying drugs. A second strike followed the first, which left two survivors. House Speaker Mike Johnson, after a classified briefing and viewing of video footage, stated the strikes were entirely appropriate, legal, and followed protocol. He noted that the vessel occupants were drug runners and not helpless castaways. Video evidence showed that survivors were able-bodied, not injured, and were attempting to recover narcotics from the capsized boat, while another nearby vessel was signaling the survivors. Johnson attributed the operation to national security priorities and praised Admiral Frank M. Bradley, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), saying the strikes followed law and prior missions. The White House confirmed the two strikes and indicated that the second strike was ordered by Admiral Bradley. Congressional reaction was mixed: Republicans largely supported the actions, while Democrats and critics called for ongoing investigations. Committees in both the House and Senate are conducting probes into the strikes. Pete Hegseth, who reportedly watched the first strike live, publicly supported Bradley’s decision and later commented on the matter.
