Image: A crude oil tanker named the Bella 1 and later the Marinera was seized by U.S. forces on Wednesday. The tanker is seen here in a photo taken aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro. U.S. European Command

After a two week chase, U.S. forces have seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the north Atlantic between Iceland and Britain.

The tanker was originally bound for Venezuela, but changed course to avoid the U.S. ships, setting off the extended drama at sea.

The U.S. action is part of a military pressure campaign that includes boarding tankers that are on a U.S. sanctions list. The campaign began a month ago, but the U.S. seized Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.

Wednesday’s action shows the campaign is ongoing.

Responding to the seizure in the North Atlantic, the Russian Ministry of Transport affirmed that the tanker “was granted temporary permission” to sail under the Russian flag on Dec. 24, 2025, in a post translated and shared by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

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