US Operation to Seize Venezuela-Linked Oil Tanker

 The United States is conducting a major operation in the North Atlantic to seize a Venezuela-linked oil tanker, U.S. officials say. �

Reuters +1

According to U.S. government sources, American military and Coast Guard forces have been tracking the oil tanker Marinera (formerly known as Bella 1) for more than two weeks after it evaded a U.S. blockade around Venezuela. �

Reuters

The tanker, which has been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury since 2024 for allegedly transporting illicit cargo connected to Venezuelan and Iranian oil networks, refused a boarding attempt in the Caribbean and escaped into the open Atlantic. �

It then re-registered under the Russian flag and sailed northward, avoiding U.S. forces. �

The National

The National

U.S. officials say the Coast Guard, working with U.S. military assets, intercepted and boarded the vessel in the North Atlantic under a federal seizure warrant. �

Russian warships, including a submarine, were reportedly in the region during the pursuit, although no direct military clash has been reported. �

AP News

The National

U.S. authorities argue this action enforces sanctions targeting illicit oil exports linked to Venezuela and associated entities. The operation is part of a broader crackdown following heightened U.S. pressure on Venezuela and associated maritime networks. �

Reuters

The tanker was reportedly empty at the time of seizure but remains of strategic and legal significance. Continued diplomatic tensions with Russia and Venezuela are expected as a result. �

Reuters