The U.S. Coast Guard is pursuing a third tanker Sunday as part of President Trump's military campaign against oil ships servicing Venezuela, two sources tell Axios.
Why it matters: The planned seizure of the tanker, which is on the U.S. sanctions list for rogue oil vessels, was another sign Trump wants to squeeze the oil-rich nation's economy in an effort to force strongman Nicolás Maduro from power.
Israeli officials warned the Trump administration over the weekend that an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps missile exercise could be preparations for a strike on Israel, according to three Israeli and U.S. sources with knowledge of the issue.
Why it matters:Israeli sources said that while the intelligence gathered only shows force movements in Iran, the Israel Defense Force's risk tolerance is much lower than it used to be, two years after the Hamas surprise invasion on Oct. 7, 2023.
The U.S. military early Saturday boarded a tanker that is not under U.S. sanctions as it shipped Venezuelan oil in hopes of escaping a blockade imposed by President Trump, according to two sources familiar with the action.
Why it matters: The show of force makes it clear the Trump administration considers almost all oil tankers carrying Venezuelan crude to be subject to search and possible seizure — whether the vessel is under sanction or not.
The U.S. military conducted air strikes on Friday against dozens of ISIS targets in Syria in retaliation for the attack that killed three U.S. soldiers near the city of Palmyra last weekend, the U.S. military central command said.
Why it matters: Operation "Hawkeye Strike" is the most wide-ranging U.S. military operation against ISIS in Syria in several years.
