New Delhi, Dec. 11 -- The United States has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela in a high-risk operation involving the US Coast Guard and Navy, marking a significant escalation in Washington's pressure campaign against the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

President Donald Trump confirmed the seizure on Wednesday, as tensions between Washington and Caracas continue to rise amid US allegations of narcotics trafficking, sanctions evasion and support for foreign militant groups.

President Trump acknowledged the operation publicly but offered limited detail when questioned by reporters. Confirming the scale of the operation seizing a Venezuelan oil tanker, he said US forces had seized a "large tanker".

When ask...