The United States says it has seized two tankers linked to Venezuelan oil exports in successive operations in the North Atlantic and Caribbean.
American troops boarded the Russian-flagged USS Marinera after nearly two weeks of pursuit as it navigated waters between Iceland and Scotland. The British Navy provided logistical support by air and sea.
The second tanker, M/T Sophia, was accused by the United States of “conducting illegal activities” and boarded in the Caribbean Sea.
The moves come as the US seeks to cut off most Venezuelan crude oil exports and just days after its special forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a lightning raid on his Caracas residence.
In a post on X, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote: “The blockade of sanctioned and illegal Venezuelan oil remains in FULL EFFECTIVENESS – anywhere in the world.”
Moscow condemned the hijacking of the tanker flying its flag and demanded that the US treat the Russians on board properly and allow them to quickly return to Russia.
The Transport Ministry said it had given the ship “temporary permission” to fly the Russian flag, adding that no state has the right to use force against ships duly registered in the jurisdictions of other states.
Reports said Russia sent a submarine to guard the vessel, but it appears that US troops were able to board the tanker without encountering any resistance.
The White House described the ship as “a vessel from Venezuela's shadow fleet that was declared stateless after sailing under a foreign flag and being subject to a court order.”
The Venezuelan leadership is cooperating with the United States on the issue of the second tanker seized in the Caribbean Sea, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.
“They understand that the only way to transport oil and generate revenue and prevent economic collapse is to cooperate and work with the United States,” Rubio told reporters.
Previously, US President Donald Trump said Venezuela, which has the world's largest oil reserves, would “transfer” up to 50 million barrels of oil to the US, worth about $2.8 billion (£2.1 billion).
Rubio, who briefed U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday about the ongoing operation in Venezuela, said the U.S. will sell oil held in Venezuela “on the market at market prices” and that the U.S. will control the distribution of revenue “in a way that benefits the Venezuelan people.”
He said the U.S. has a thoughtful plan for Venezuela's future and that the administration “wasn't just playing around.”
Rubio said the Trump administration's plan for Venezuela is stabilization, reconstruction and then transition.
But the oil debate was just one component of U.S. lawmakers' concerns about the escalating conflict.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said lawmakers need answers to long-standing questions about how many U.S. troops could be involved and how much money U.S. involvement in Venezuela would cost.
Republicans appeared largely supportive of the administration's actions in the region, although some expressed concern about where Congress stands.
The Senate is expected to vote next week on a bipartisan war powers resolution, an attempt to block continued military action in Venezuela. The War Powers Resolution, passed after the Vietnam War, limits the president's authority to involve the U.S. military in hostilities without congressional approval.
“If we are going to continue engagement at the next stage, I think it should be the subject [ war powers]” said Thom Tillis from North Carolina.
Meanwhile, Josh Hawley of Missouri said that if the administration's actions were a law enforcement operation, they would not require congressional approval, but “if it is a military operation involving the head of a foreign government, even one that we do not officially recognize, that is a very different situation.”
China, the largest buyer of Venezuelan oil in recent years, condemned the US actions and accused them of threatening global energy security.
A US Coast Guard member looks through binoculars at the USS Marinera (formerly called Bella 1). [US European Command]
The US military announced the seizure of the two tankers in separate social media posts on Wednesday.
US European Command said the Bella 1, formerly Marinera, was boarded “for violating US sanctions.”
“The vessel was seized in the North Atlantic on a warrant issued by a US federal court after being tracked by Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Munro.”
The UK Ministry of Defense said a Royal Air Force surveillance aircraft and naval support vessel RFA Tideforce were among UK military assets taking part in the operation following a US request for assistance.
Defense Minister John Healey said the action was “fully consistent with international law” and “is part of a global effort to curb sanctions violations.”
The ship is accused of violating US sanctions and transporting Iranian oil.
Images published by Russian state television channel RT show a helicopter next to a ship similar to the Bella 1.
The Russian Maritime Register of Shipping indicates that the tanker changed its name to Marinera and was flying the Russian flag. The home port is the southern Russian city of Sochi on the Black Sea.
The Russian Ministry of Transport said that American troops boarded the Mariner at about 15:00 Moscow time (12:00 GMT), after which contact with the ship was lost.
US officials said Marinera falsely flew Guyana's flag last month, making it a stateless country.
Experts told BBC Verify that the US named the ship Bella 1 because a ship cannot change its flag during a voyage unless there has been an actual transfer of ownership or change of registration.
Experts also said that under UN international maritime law, a stateless vessel could be disembarked by authorities.
Additionally, U.S. Southern Command announced Wednesday that the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security “seized a stateless, sanctioned Dark Fleet tanker without incident.”
“The seized vessel M/T Sophia was operating in international waters and carrying out illegal activities in the Caribbean Sea. The US Coast Guard is escorting M/T Sophia to the US for final disposal.”
US Southern Command also released video of a helicopter circling the ship.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said that “today, in two pre-dawn operations, the Coast Guard conducted back-to-back, carefully coordinated boardings of two Ghost Fleet tankers.”
According to her, both hijacked vessels “were last moored in Venezuela or were heading there.”
[BBC]
