JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The U.S. has seized two sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela in back-to-back actions in the North Atlantic and the Caribbean, officials said Wednesday.
The U.S. military seized the Bella 1 and subsequently handed over control of it to law enforcement officials, said a U.S. official, who spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations.
The ship was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2024 for allegedly smuggling cargo for a company linked to Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran. The U.S. Coast Guard attempted to board it in the Caribbean in December as it headed for Venezuela. The ship refused boarding and headed across the Atlantic.
During this time, the Bella 1 was renamed Marinera and flagged to Russia, shipping databases show. The U.S. official also confirmed that the ship’s crew had painted a Russian flag on the side of the hull.
The Russian-flagged oil tanker was being shadowed by a Russian submarine. There were also reports of other Russian assets nearby.
Russia has reportedly been monitoring the situation with “concern”. But there are no reports of any signs of confrontation.
Rod Sullivan, a Board-Certified Specialist in Admiralty and Maritime Law, joined News4JAX anchor Bruce Hamilton on Wednesday shortly after the news broke.
Sullivan said under international law, vessels flying a country’s flag are under the protection of that nation. So now the question is: What can or will Russia do to protect its assets? Sullivan also addressed the bigger question about the situation potentially creating diplomatic friction between the United States and Russia.
Press play above to watch the full interview