U.S. Forces Capture Giant Oil Tanker Skipper in Helicopter Raid Near Venezuela From USS Gerald R. Ford

U.S. forces on Thursday carried out a rare, highly choreographed seizure of the very large crude carrier Skipper in international waters off the coast of Venezuela. The high-profile operation, announced by President Donald Trump on Wednesday, involved MH-60S Seahawk helicopters from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford fast-roping elite boarding teams onto the Skipper, a very large crude carrier (VLCC) linked by U.S. officials to Iranian-backed oil smuggling and terrorist financing networks. 

Military Operation and Tactics

According to U.S. government officials, the operation unfolded when helicopters launched from the USS Gerald R. Ford, which has been deployed in the Caribbean amid a growing U.S. military presence in the region. MH-60S Seahawk helicopters hovered over the deck of the Skipper, deploying fast-rope teams composed of U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team personnel, Marines, and other special-operations forces. The boarding was executed swiftly and without reported casualties.

Attorney General Pam Bondi released footage showing U.S. forces descending onto the deck before securing the bridge and taking control of the vessel. U.S. agencies involved included the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Coast Guard, with the Navy providing air and sea support.

Sanctions and Legal Basis

The Skipper has been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department since 2022 for its alleged role in transporting oil that helped finance the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah through clandestine shipping networks. The vessel, formerly known as Adisa, reportedly transported Venezuelan heavy crude and Iranian oil in violation of longstanding U.S. sanctions.

According to publicly available data and maritime tracking analysis, the tanker departed Venezuela’s main oil port at Puerto José between December 4 and 5 after loading roughly 1.1 to 1.9 million barrels of heavy crude. It conducted a ship-to-ship transfer near Curaçao, offloading part of its cargo to another tanker bound for Cuba, before U.S. forces intercepted the vessel in international waters. 

President Trump described the vessel as “very large — largest one ever seized”, confirming the unprecedented scale of the operation and hinting at further actions to come. On the fate of the oil, Trump said: “We keep it, I guess,” underscoring Washington’s intent to retain control of the seized cargo. 

International Reaction and Regional Impact

The Venezuelan government, led by President Nicolás Maduro, condemned the seizure vehemently, labeling it “an act of international piracy” and “barefaced robbery.” Caracas has vowed to pursue legal action before international bodies and insists the move amounts to theft of Venezuela’s sovereign resources. 

The incident has also stirred broader geopolitical tensions. Oil markets reacted sharply to the news, with global benchmark Brent crude rising following the announcement. Analysts warn that further interdictions or pressure on Venezuela’s oil exports could worsen already strained relations and destabilize energy flows in the Caribbean region.

Strategic and Political Context

This marks the first major interdiction of Venezuelan oil cargo under U.S. sanctions since 2019, reflecting a more assertive U.S. posture toward sanctions enforcement and countering illicit energy flows tied to allegedly hostile actors. The operation comes amid an increased U.S. military presence in the Caribbean, including deployments of naval vessels and aircraft, and follows a series of U.S. strikes on vessels accused of drug trafficking.

Critics of the administration’s strategy — including some U.S. lawmakers — have raised concerns over the legal foundations and risks of such missions, questioning whether the actions could lead to unintended escalation with foreign governments. Supporters argue the operation disrupts networks that undermine sanctions and fund terrorism.

As the international community digests the implications of the seizure, the Skipper incident is likely to dominate discussions on maritime law, sanctions enforcement, and U.S. policy toward Venezuela, Iran, and broader regional security dynamics for weeks to come.