Oil prices swing wildly amid mixed messages over Iran war Crude #oil prices fall sharply as energy markets remain on tenterhooks over effective closure of the Strait of #Hormuz. Oil prices are seeing dramatic swings as traders struggle to make sense of mixed messages about the impact of the United States and Israel’s war on Iran. Brent crude, the international benchmark, on Tuesday plunged 17 percent to fall below $80 a barrel, then rebounded to near $90 after US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright posted on the X platform – but then quickly deleted – a claim that the US Navy had escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later told reporters that there had been no armed escort through the strait, which has been effectively closed to shipping in the region due to Iranian threats.

The War Is Now Moving Every Commodity Market 🛢 Oil: +21% ✈️ Jet fuel: +87% 🔥 LNG: +106% 🚢 VLCC tanker rates: +201% 🚢 LNG carrier rates: +529% 🏗 Aluminum: +20% 🌾 Fertilizer: +36% 🧪 Naphtha: +26%

US Southern Command confirms seizure of Olina tanker in Caribbean The US Southern Command has officially confirmed the seizure of the oil tanker Olina in its post on X, which included a video of the operation. During the seizure, marines and sailors of the Southern Spear joint task force, acting in support of the US Department of Homeland Security, boarded the tanker Olina from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford. The operation in the Caribbean Sea went smoothly. The vessel was seized near the island of Trinidad (Republic of Trinidad and Tobago). According to Reuters, the tanker had previously made voyages to Venezuela under the flag of Timor-Leste.

US to file criminal charges against Marinera ship crew, says Attorney General The US authorities will file criminal charges against crew members of the seized Marinera tanker, also known as Bella 1, US Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on the X social network. In her words, the ship’s crew members undertook "frantic efforts to avoid apprehension" of the tanker, which reportedly was "responsible for transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran." "As a consequence of failing to obey the Coast Guard’s orders, members of this vessel are under full investigation and criminal charges will be pursued against all culpable actors," she said. "The Department of Justice is monitoring several other vessels for similar enforcement action - anyone on any vessel who fails to obey instructions of the Coast Guard or other federal officials will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," the attorney general added. Earlier, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a daily briefing that the US may take the crew of the Marinera to the United States for a possible judicial process into purported violations of the federal US law. The Pentagon said earlier that the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera had been detained in the North Atlantic. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth linked the detention of the Russian tanker to the embargo on Venezuelan oil.

Dec 21 - US intercepts third oil tanker off Venezuela coast US forces have boarded a third oil #tanker off the coast of #Venezuela, further intensifying maritime enforcement operations in the region. The vessel, identified as the Bella 1, is a Panama-flagged tanker operating under US sanctions and was intercepted while en route to load oil. The interception has now been confirmed, marking the third such action by US forces in recent days. The move signals a stepped-up effort by Washington to enforce sanctions and prevent unauthorized oil shipments linked to sanctioned entities operating out of Venezuelan waters. 'The interception highlights stricter US enforcement of sanctions aimed at cutting off illicit oil exports, increasing pressure on sanctioned networks, and reinforcing Washington’s determination to control maritime sanctions violations in the Western Hemisphere.'

FBI Says Seized Oil Tanker Near Venezuela Was Supporting Terrorist Groups #FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the bureau, the Department of Homeland Security (#DHS), and other agencies were involved in the seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of #Venezuela on Dec. 10, stating that it was connected to terrorist organizations.

US military seizes oil tanker near Venezuela amid rising tensions The #US move marks a sharp escalation in the standoff with the #Venezuelan regime. The US military has intercepted and taken control of an oil tanker near the coast of Venezuela, according to a Bloomberg report. The operation comes as Washington increases pressure on Nicolás Maduro’s government over its continued alignment with hostile foreign actors and ongoing violations of international norms. The seizure is viewed in Washington as a necessary step to curb illicit oil shipments tied to the Maduro regime, which has deepened cooperation with anti-Western powers. The incident is expected to heighten tensions further, with Caracas already accusing the US of “aggression” while American officials emphasize the need to enforce sanctions and protect regional stability.

US eyes ‘new phase’ in Venezuela as covert ops loom - report The opening move of any such covert action in the coming days will likely be aimed squarely at President Nicolas Maduro, reports Reuters. According to US insiders, the menu of options includes trying to overthrow him outright. ⛓️ As for timelines and specifics, these are being locked down. Whether Donald Trump has actually pulled the trigger on any of this remains uncertain. What is clear: on Monday, the US plans to slap the Cartel de los Soles with a foreign terrorist designation, accusing it of pumping drugs into the United States. Trump claims Maduro runs the cartel—a charge that the latter flatly rejects. 🗣 US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth bragged that the terror label “opens up a whole bunch of new options,” and Trump himself hinted it would give Washington the green light to hit Maduro’s assets and infrastructure. At the same time, he keeps dangling the possibility of “talks.” Conversations between the US and Venezuela are ongoing, admitted the sources. Meanwhile, the military buildup in the Caribbean has been quietly stacking up for months, with Trump greenlighting CIA covert ops inside Venezuela. 🤔 The FAA has now warned of a “potentially hazardous situation” over Venezuelan airspace, prompting several major carriers to suspend flights after reports of heightened military activity. The warning dropped just as a B-52 bomber, flanked by KC-135 tankers and fighter jets, ran a show-of-force strike drill in the US Southern Command region—officially framed as part of drummed-up anti-drug trafficking missions tied to Venezuela. Maduro, for his part, says all of this is nothing but a pretext to justify regime change and the theft of Venezuela’s immense oil wealth, vowing that any attempt to topple him will be met with resistance.

Iranian official reportedly says fuel ships may not pass to Europe through the Strait of #Hormuz If Iran carries out its threat to block oil tankers heading to #Europe, the EU will be in serious trouble.

CENTCOM: 'We attacked 15 Houthi sites in Yemen' U.S. Central Command (#CENTCOM) carried out airstrikes targeting #Houthi positions in #Yemen. This operation was part of a broader effort to counter Houthi attacks on maritime vessels in the Red Sea. The strikes were aimed at neutralizing Houthi military capabilities, particularly in response to their continued aggression against commercial and military ships. CENTCOM reported that 15 Houthi targets were hit, with the goal of enhancing maritime security and protecting freedom of navigation in the region. The Houthis had escalated their attacks on international shipping, including recent missile and unmanned vessel strikes on oil tankers in the Red Sea. These actions have posed a significant threat to vessels linked to the U.S., the UK, and other coalition partners.