In a significant escalation of pressure on Venezuela, the United States has announced the seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker following an intense international pursuit. The action underscores a hardening stance, with the Pentagon chief declaring on Wednesday that the American oil blockade against Venezuela is now "in effect anywhere in the world."
The High-Stakes Chase and Seizure
The dramatic operation culminated when American forces successfully boarded and took control of the tanker. A US official confirmed to the Associated Press that the military had "seized the vessel and handed over control to law enforcement officials." The pursuit of this specific tanker began last month after it attempted to evade the US-led blockade around Venezuela.
Washington had sanctioned the ship in 2024 on allegations of smuggling cargo for a company connected to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. A previous attempt by the US Coast Guard to board it in the Caribbean in December was rebuffed, prompting the vessel to flee across the Atlantic Ocean.
A Game of Flags and Diplomatic Protests
During its flight, the tanker's crew took a provocative step by painting a Russian flag on its hull and asserting the vessel was under Russian protection. It subsequently appeared on Russia's official maritime registry under a new name, Marinera. Moscow responded by lodging a formal diplomatic protest, demanding the US halt its pursuit.
Despite the Russian claims, which could complicate the legal grounds for seizure, the Trump administration has not accepted them. Two sources familiar with the matter indicated the US continues to treat the vessel as stateless, a status that grants broader authority for interdiction under international law.
Global Surveillance and a Second Seizure
The US military tracked the tanker relentlessly as it sailed northeast. US P-8 surveillance aircraft operating from RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, UK, monitored its movements for several days. Open-source flight data revealed the aircraft shadowed the ship past the UK coast before its eventual capture.
In a related development on the same day, US Southern Command announced a second seizure in the Caribbean Sea. US personnel apprehended the M/T Sophia, described as a "stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker" conducting illicit activities. This marks the second vessel taken by American forces in the ongoing enforcement operation.
The dual seizures signal a robust and expanding US campaign to enforce sanctions, transforming the Venezuela oil blockade from a regional measure into a global enforcement action with significant geopolitical ramifications.
