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The US military seized a Russian-flagged North Atlantic oil tanker after it sailed off Venezuela last month.
The ship was first chased by the US Coast Guard in December 2025 after trying to evade the US blockade of Venezuela. The ship refused to board when the US Coast Guard tried to seize it.
The vessel is one of the authorized oil tankers that operated near Venezuela within the “shadow fleet,” and had been under US surveillance since 2024 for allegedly transporting illegal cargo from a company linked to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
IM/V Bella 1 was seized by the US military on Wednesday in the North Atlantic.
US European Command / X
The tanker had recently changed its name from Bella 1 to Marinera and adopted the Russian flag.
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Earlier on Wednesday, open-source ocean tracking sites showed their location between Scotland and Iceland, heading north. The American official also confirmed to the Associated Press that the ship was in the North Atlantic.
US military jets flew over the ship, and on Tuesday, a Royal Air Force surveillance plane was spotted tracking a plane flying in the same area.
The second ship “without condition” was caught in international waters early Wednesday, the US Southern Command announced on X.
“Through Operation Southern Spear, the Department of the Army is unwavering in its mission to end illegal activity in the Western Hemisphere. We will defend our country and restore security and strength to the entire Americas,” the text read.
Footage of the attack shows a helicopter hovering above the oil tanker.
The IM/T Sophia was operating in international waters and engaged in illegal activities in the Caribbean Sea, according to the US military.
After the seizure, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said the country would continue to enforce the blockade of the sanctioned vessels, which he said were “stealing from the Venezuelan people.”
“Only legal and legitimate energy trading—as determined by the US—will be allowed,” he continued.
The seizure of this ship comes a few days after the US military attacked the capital of Venezuela, Caracas, and kidnapped President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.
After this violence, according to NBC News, which is led by the US Department of Homeland Security with the support of the US military, Trump administration officials say they intend to continue seizing sanctions vessels connected to the country.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
– Via files from the Associated Press
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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