The United States has confirmed the seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker with significant links to Venezuela, marking a major escalation in its campaign of maritime pressure. The vessel, the Marinera, previously known as the Bella 1, is now in US custody after a dramatic interception in international waters.
Dramatic Seizure Amid Russian Naval Presence
According to the United States European Command, the operation took place on Wednesday 7 January 2026. US forces boarded the Marinera in the North Atlantic, between Iceland and Scotland, as it was travelling north. The operation was notably conducted in close proximity to a Russian submarine and warship, as reported by two US officials to Reuters.
A US official told the Associated Press that following the military seizure, control of the vessel was handed over to law enforcement officials. US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, underscored the action's significance in a statement on X, declaring: "The blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil remains in FULL EFFECT - anywhere in the world."
Why the Tanker Was a Target
The US had been pursuing the Marinera for approximately two weeks after it managed to evade a maritime blockade around Venezuela. The tanker was originally sanctioned by the US in 2024 on allegations of smuggling cargo for a company connected to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
An attempt by the US Coast Guard to intercept the vessel last month failed when it refused to be boarded. The ship has changed flags multiple times; it departed the Caribbean under a Guyana flag before registering under a Russian flag, a move likely intended to afford it greater protection.
International Reactions and Wider Context
Prior to the seizure, Russia's foreign ministry, cited by state broadcaster RT, asserted that the tanker was in international waters and complying with maritime law. The ministry emphasised that the ship was flying the Russian flag and called on Western nations to respect its right to freedom of navigation.
This incident is the latest in a series of aggressive moves under Donald Trump's administration to increase pressure on Venezuela. It follows closely after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by US special forces in a dawn raid in Caracas. Maduro was subsequently taken to the United States to face federal prosecution on alleged drug trafficking charges.
In a related development, the US Southern Command confirmed that the US Coast Guard intercepted another Venezuela-linked tanker in Caribbean waters. That vessel was the Panama-flagged supertanker M Sophia, which is also under sanctions and had departed Venezuelan waters in early January as part of a fleet carrying oil to China.
