Minister Noem writes on X that the raid on the oil tanker was carried out during the night of Saturday, local time:
"In a pre-dawn raid this morning, December 20, the United States Coast Guard, with support from the Department of War, conducted an operation against an oil tanker that was last in a port in Venezuela."
It is the second time in two weeks that a merchant ship has been stopped by the US military. Saturday's incident came days after President Donald Trump declared a blockade on all oil ships heading to or from Venezuela.
Previous boarding
On December 10, the US military seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela in a massive commando raid.
The confirmation of the latest raid on a merchant ship comes after several high-ranking sources spoke to the AP news agency and the media company CNN.
According to the sources, who were not allowed to speak officially about military operations, the boarding took place with the approval of the commanders on the ship - who also voluntarily anchored and allowed soldiers to board.
The New York Times newspaper states that the boarded ship sailed under the Panamanian flag, and refers, among other things, to people in Venezuela's oil industry.
Military presence
There are currently eleven US warships in the waters off Venezuela, including the USS Gerald R Ford, one of the world's largest aircraft carriers. The US Coast Guard is also on the ground with ships, but the agency would not disclose what operations are being carried out there "due to operational security reasons."
Caracas and Venezuelan leaders accuse the US of illegal operations and that the US is out to "steal oil from Venezuela."
The US has also previously attacked – and sunk – a large number of smaller vessels suspected of smuggling drugs. At least 104 people have been killed in the attacks in the 28 raids confirmed by Washington, DC.
