The US Coast Guard is reportedly in "active pursuit" of the fleeing vessel in the Caribbean Sea

The United States has attempted to intercept a third oil tanker linked to Venezuela in less than two weeks, with the US Coast Guard reportedly in "active pursuit" of a vessel in international waters in the Caribbean Sea, according to American officials cited by Reuters and other outlets.

US officials claimed the ship is sailing under a false flag and is therefore subject to a judicial seizure order, describing it as part of Venezuela's "dark fleet" used to evade Washington's unilateral sanctions.

The vessel has not yet been boarded, but if successful, the operation would mark the third interdiction since December 10, when US forces seized the tanker Skipper, followed by another vessel, Centuries, on Saturday.

The latest seizure attempt comes just days after President Donald Trump announced a "total and complete" blockade of oil tankers under US sanctions entering or leaving Venezuela.

Officials have yet to identify the vessel, but according to media reports, the tanker now being chased is the Bella 1, which has previously been sanctioned for transporting Iranian oil. US officials said the ship refused to submit to boarding and continued sailing, prompting what one official described as an "active pursuit."

The escalating seizures are part of Trump's broader pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, which has included a significant US military buildup in the region and dozens of US strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats since September.

Venezuela has denounced the actions as piracy and warned that the seizures amount to economic warfare aimed at strangling its oil-dependent economy. Caracas has accused Washington of seeking regime change to gain control of the country's vast oil reserves.

Russia and China have both warned that the growing US military activity risks triggering wider instability, urging restraint and respect for international law.