U.S. President Donald Trump announced Tuesday a blockade of "sanctioned oil vessels" heading to and leaving Venezuela, sharply escalating his pressure campaign against Caracas while issuing new demands for the country's crude.

"Today, I am ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform Tuesday evening.

Trump said the large U.S. naval armada amassed in the Caribbean, which includes the world's largest aircraft carrier, "will only get bigger" until Venezuela returns "to the United States of America all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us."

Trump claimed that the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is using the oil to finance themselves, and commit what he called "drug terrorism, human trafficking, murder, and kidnapping."

Maduro has repeatedly claimed the massive U.S. military deployment within striking distance of his country is part of a plan to overthrow him and "steal" Venezuela's abundant oil under the ruse of its anti-drug operation.

On Tuesday, Caracas expressed outrage at Trump's announcement. The Maduro government said Trump's blockade is "absolutely irrational," violates free commerce and navigability.

"The President of the United States intends to impose, in an utterly irrational manner, a supposed naval blockade on Venezuela with the aim of stealing the riches that belong to our homeland," the Maduro government said in a statement.

The United States has for months been building a major military deployment in the Caribbean, with the stated goal of combating drug trafficking in Latin America, but taking particular aim at Venezuela.

Caracas views the operation as a pressure campaign to oust Maduro.

After weeks of military jet flybys off the Venezuelan coast and deadly strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats that have killed over 90 people, the Trump administration heightened its campaign last week by seizing an oil tanker leaving the South American nation. It subsequently announced sanctions on several other vessels.

Amid the heightened tension, the U.S. aviation regulator issued a renewed warning on Tuesday to civilian aircraft operating in Venezuelan airspace, citing the dangers of military activity.

The Federal Aviation Administration urged aircraft to "exercise caution" due to the "worsening security situation and heightened military activity in or around Venezuela" – the same wording used in a previous warning issued last month.

The new warning came days after a pilot for JetBlue said his aircraft came close to colliding with a U.S. Air Force refueling plane near Venezuela – an incident the airline said it had reported to American authorities.

The warnings have caused major disruptions to Venezuelan air travel, with many airlines also completely avoiding the country's airspace for flights in the region.

(With input from agencies)