US special forces have entered the United Kingdom in hostile operation to intercept a sanctioned oil tanker accused of evading President Donald Trump administration’s blockade on Venezuelan crude.
The oil tanker is racing toward Russia after Vladimir Putin’s deployed submarine and naval ship helped shake off US Coast Guards that were trailing it in the last two weeks.
Cargo aircraft carrying helicopters and personnel touched ground at RAF Fairford, as US and allied forces await directive for a possible high-risk boarding operation against the tanker Marinera, formerly known as Bella 1.
The vessel, described by US officials as part of a “shadow fleet” used to bypass international sanctions, is believed to be operating under a Russian flag in the North Atlantic, roughly 500 miles west of Ireland, en route to Russia.
Troops from America’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known as the Night Stalkers, have reportedly deployed Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters capable of fast-roping commandos onto large vessels. Three V-22 Ospreys operating out of RAF Mildenhall have also joined the mission, alongside surveillance aircraft and refuelling jets.
US and UK military activity intensified after the tanker was tracked resurfacing at sea, having previously slipped away from US forces in the Caribbean following Donald Trump’s announcement of a “total and complete blockade” on Venezuelan oil exports.
The tanker is alleged to be linked to Iran and accused of helping sanctioned regimes, including those of Vladimir Putin and Nicolás Maduro, continue oil trading despite restrictions. During the pursuit, the crew reportedly painted a Russian flag on the hull and later re-registered the ship under a new name in Russia.
Defence sources said the build-up at RAF Fairford indicates preparations for a hostile boarding, while naval patrol aircraft continue to monitor the tanker’s movements.
US officials told American media that the preference is to seize the tanker rather than sink it, mirroring a helicopter-borne raid carried out last month on another sanctioned vessel. A decision on whether to proceed with the operation is expected within days but today, Wednesday, the United States announced that its forces have apprehended the sanctioned oil tanker after a daring operation.
•Sanctioned oil tanker
The United States seized the Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic after pursuing it from off the coast of Venezuela, in an operation expected to rev up tensions with Moscow.
US officials claimed the tanker is part of a so-called shadow fleet that carries oil for countries such as Venezuela, Russia and Iran in violation of US sanctions.
“Oil tanker Marinera, foremrly known as Bella 1 photographerd at sea in the Singapore Strait on March 18, 2025. The United States military on January 7, 2026, announced the seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic for sanctions violations, bringing an end to a multi-week pursuit by American forces. The seizure of the ship, which evaded being boarded near Venezuela, was a joint operation between the Department of Homeland Security and US military personnel,” the US European Command, which is responsible for the region, said in a post on X. (Photo by Hakon Rimmereid / AFP)
