U.S. forces have intercepted an oil tanker connected to Venezuela and flying a Russian flag, an action with the potential to heighten tensions between the U.S. and Russia.

U.S. European Command announced Wednesday morning that the ship was seized by the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department in cooperation with the military for “violations of U.S. sanctions” during a crackdown on specific oil tankers traveling to and from Venezuela.  

“The vessel was seized in the North Atlantic pursuant to a warrant issued by a U.S. federal court after being tracked by USCGC Munro,” the Command stated on X. “This seizure supports @POTUS Proclamation targeting sanctioned vessels that threaten the security and stability of the Western Hemisphere.”

Reuters was the first to report on the incident.

The ship, formerly named Bella 1, is an oil tanker with a history of carrying Venezuelan crude oil, although it was reportedly empty when seized.  The U.S. had previously sanctioned the tanker in 2024 for its alleged connections to Iran-backed militant groups in the Middle East, such as the Houthis and Hezbollah. Its capture concludes a pursuit lasting more than two weeks.

The tanker was operating under the Russian flag, and U.S. officials informed media outlets that Russia dispatched a submarine and additional naval ships to protect and accompany it while U.S. forces were in pursuit. However, The New York Times reported, citing two officials, that no Russian ships were nearby at the time of the seizure.

Last month, the U.S. Coast Guard tried to board the tanker in the Caribbean after accusing it of violating U.S. sanctions and carrying Iranian oil destined for Venezuela. The ship declined to allow boarding, altered course, and escaped. It subsequently renamed itself the Marinera and was re-registered as a Russian vessel.  

This seizure occurs just days after the U.S. military captured Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, in a raid following months of increasing pressure on the Venezuelan government. Since Maduro’s capture, President Donald Trump has stated that the U.S. aims to stabilize the country and introduce American companies to assist in its reconstruction. 
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed Wednesday morning that the Coast Guard had also captured a second tanker, the Sophia, in the Caribbean. Noem wrote on X that the vessel “has been trying to evade the Coast Guard for weeks, even changing its flag and painting a new name on the hull while being pursued, in a desperate and failed attempt to escape justice.”