US forces seize sanctioned Russian-flagged oil tanker in North Atlantic, military says

Fox News - WorldCenter-RightEN 2 min read 100% complete by Ashley Carnahan,Jennifer GriffinJanuary 7, 2026 at 02:08 PM

AI Summary

short article 2 min

U.S. forces seized the Russian-flagged Marinera oil tanker in the North Atlantic on Wednesday for violating U.S. sanctions. The seizure was conducted by DHS components with support from the Department of War, following a warrant issued by a U.S. federal court. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro tracked the vessel, which previously operated under the name Bella 1. The action supports a presidential proclamation targeting sanctioned vessels that threaten security in the Western Hemisphere. The seizure comes after reports that Russia sent naval assets to escort the tanker, which had been attempting to evade U.S. enforcement efforts targeting sanctioned oil shipments near Venezuela for over two weeks.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Pete Hegseth 30% Donald Trump 40% Venezuela ×350% USCGC Munro 50% Russia ×260% North Atlantic Sea ×260% Department of Justice 60% Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ×260% Department of War ×260% Marinera ×370% U.S. European Command (EUCOM) ×480% United States ×790%

Keywords

oil tanker seizure 100% u.s. sanctions 90% russian-flagged tanker 80% north atlantic 70% sanctioned oil 70% venezuela 60% u.s. european command 50% blockade 40% naval assets 40%