The US Coast Guard executed a pre-dawn boarding and seizure of the motor tanker Olina in international waters east of the Caribbean Sea, marking the fifth tanker interdicted in recent weeks. The operation was carried out in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department, and the Department of Justice.
The US has carried out two separate interdiction operations against sanctioned oil tankers on January 7, 2026, seizing one vessel in the North Atlantic and apprehending another in the Caribbean Sea. The seizures were conducted by the US Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Department of Defense.
The US military successfully conducted a surprise operation in Venezuela, taking down Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his security team. The operation was carried out with 150 aerial assets and employed advanced electronic and kinetic assault capabilities.
A US Air Force RQ-170 Sentinel was reportedly deployed as part of Operation Absolute Resolve, which resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on January 3, 2026. According to General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, months of intelligence preparation led to the successful mission.
According to Breaking Defense, US President Donald Trump announced that the US military had launched overnight attacks in Venezuela, resulting in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. The development comes after Maduro was charged with 'narco-terrorism' by US courts in 2020.
A second near midair collision involving a US Air Force aerial refueling tanker was reported near Venezuelan airspace on December 13, 2025. The incident occurred when a Falcon 900EX business jet flying from Aruba to Miami encountered the tanker without an active transponder.