U.S. forces have intercepted and seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, according to people familiar with the matter, a move that marks a serious escalation of tensions between the two countries.

The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. State oil company Petroleos de Venezuela SA and Venezuela’s oil and information ministries didn’t immediately reply to requests for comment.

The seizure may make it much harder for Venezuela to export its oil, as other shippers are now likely to be more reluctant to load its cargoes. Most Venezuelan oil goes to China, usually through intermediaries, at steep discounts owing to sanctions risk.

The Trump administration has ramped up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whom it has accused of presi

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