07.01.2026 19:41
After the United States seized the Russian-registered oil tanker named "Bella 1" in the North Atlantic, it intervened in another tanker. The U.S. Southern Command announced that during an operation conducted as part of Operation Southern Lance, the tanker named "Sophia," which carried no national flag, was seized. A strong reaction came from Russia towards the U.S.
The United States announced that another ship has been seized as part of the Southern Lance Operation conducted in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.
ANOTHER OIL TANKER HAS BEEN SEIZED In a statement made by the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), it was noted that during the operation carried out in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security at dawn, a "secret fleet" tanker named "M/T Sophia," which did not fly the flag of any country, was seized. The statement mentioned that the ship was intervened in international waters and that the tanker was conducting illegal activities in the Caribbean Sea, while it was reported that U.S. Coast Guard forces escorted the vessel to the U.S. for final processing. SOUTHCOM also shared footage of the moments of intervention.
M/T Sophia THEY WERE HEADING TOWARDS VENEZUELA U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem also mentioned in a statement on her social media account that in recent hours, a Russian-flagged oil tanker named Marinera, previously known as "Bella 1," was seized in the North Atlantic for violating U.S. sanctions, stating, "The U.S. Coast Guard has seized two secret fleet tankers in coordinated operations conducted in succession."
Noem reported that according to recent inspections, the seized vessels were found to have anchored in Venezuela or were heading towards Venezuela. She emphasized that the tracking of the Bella 1 vessel had been ongoing for weeks, noting that the ship changed its flag and name during the chase, and congratulated the crew of the "USCGC Munro," a vessel belonging to the U.S. Coast Guard.
RUSSIA'S RESPONSE On the other hand, Russia's response to the developments was swift. The Russian Ministry of Transport stated that on December 24, 2025, the ship named "Marinera" received temporary permission to sail under the Russian flag based on Russian legislation and international law norms, stating, "Today, in international waters outside any state's territorial waters, U.S. naval forces boarded the vessel, and communication with the ship was lost." The Ministry reminded of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, stating, "The regime of freedom of navigation applies on the high seas, and no state has the right to use force against vessels properly registered under the jurisdiction of other states."
LAST MONTH, IT CHANGED ITS COURSE AND NAME TO AVOID U.S. INTERVENTION BY SWITCHING TO THE RUSSIAN FLAG The U.S. Coast Guard had attempted to seize the "Bella 1" oil tanker, which was believed to be heading towards Venezuela in the Caribbean, accused of carrying Iranian oil and subject to sanctions for operating within a "secret fleet" that transported illegal oil in 2024.
The oil tanker, which changed its name to "Marinera" and altered its course to avoid U.S. intervention, switched from the Guyanese flag to the Russian flag. The oil tanker, which managed to escape from the Caribbean Sea to the North Atlantic, was being tracked by the U.S. Coast Guard. U.S. media reported today that Russia had dispatched a submarine and warships to accompany the oil tanker.
At the end of December, Russia sent a diplomatic note to the U.S. requesting the cessation of the vessel's tracking. According to international law, vessels flying the flag of a country are under the protection of that country.
Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a "full blockade" on oil tankers entering and exiting Venezuela that are subject to sanctions.
Source: AA / IHA