The U.S. government has initiated a process to seize oil from a tanker captured near Venezuela, identified as the Skipper, which is associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the tanker is involved in black-market oil activities and is undergoing a forfeiture process that includes interviews with the crew and the collection of evidence. The vessel is expected to be taken to a U.S. port for the seizure of its oil, following legal protocols.

The Skipper, previously known as the Adisa, has been linked to a smuggling network that allegedly facilitated the transport of Iranian oil to fund Hezbollah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard. This network was reportedly operated through shell companies associated with Viktor Artemov, as noted in a 2022 sanctions report from the U.S. Treasury Department.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil Pinto condemned the seizure, labeling it as "blatant theft" and asserting that the motivations behind U.S. actions are rooted in the desire to control Venezuela's natural resources, particularly its oil. He emphasized that the ongoing aggression is not about migration, drug trafficking, democracy, or human rights, but rather about the wealth belonging to the Venezuelan people.

The seizure occurs amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela, with the Trump administration increasing military presence in the Caribbean and targeting alleged drug vessels. President Trump has characterized these actions as part of an "armed conflict" with drug cartels. The USS Gerald R. Ford, a U.S. aircraft carrier, was deployed to the region as a show of force against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who faces narcoterrorism charges in U.S. federal court. Maduro has accused the Trump administration of attempting to provoke a conflict, asserting that Venezuela is prepared to respond to aggression.