<br><br>**Title** Behind the Scenes US Seizes Oil Tanker Off Venezuelan Coast (60 characters)<br><br>**Behind the Scenes US Seizes Oil Tanker Off Venezuelan Coast**<br><br>Tensions between the United States and Venezuela have escalated, with a dramatic raid unfolding in the Caribbean. On Wednesday, the US Coast Guard seized an oil tanker, known as the Skipper or formerly called the Adisa, which was apprehended off the coast of Venezuela.<br><br>**The Warrant Unsealed**<br><br>According to reports, a magistrate judge signed the warrant on November 26, and the US Coast Guard carried out the operation. The agency stated that the vessel was used to transport sanctioned oil as part of an illicit oil shipping network supporting Hezbollah and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard.<br><br>**Venezuela Denounces the Move**<br><br>The Venezuelan government has strongly condemned the seizure, labeling it international piracy. President Nicolas Maduro described the move as a blatant theft and vowed to secure all ships to guarantee the free trade of Venezuela's oil around the world.<br><br>**US Forces Conduct Raids**<br><br>In a dramatic operation, US forces descended from a helicopter onto the tanker's deck before entering the ship's bridge with weapons raised. According to US Attorney General Pam Bondi, the ship was part of an illicit oil shipping network used to carry sanctioned oil.<br><br>**Next Steps**<br><br>The seized tanker is expected to dock in Galveston, Texas, and the crew will be released upon arrival. The US Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on relatives of President Maduro and six companies shipping Venezuela's oil. The FBI's Counterintelligence Division and partners will continue to enforce US sanctions and disrupt adversaries' access to financial markets and critical technology.<br><br>**Stay Informed**<br><br>As tensions between the United States and Venezuela continue to rise, we will provide updates on this developing story.
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