The Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera was seized on Wednesday by the US military out in the Atlantic. US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth highlighted the incident.

Marinera, formerly known as Bella 1, was in the North Atlantic when it was stormed by US soldiers. The tanker had been trying to evade the Americans for just over a week.

The US European Command posted pictures from the operation on Wednesday, stating that Marinera is one of the ships that “threaten the security and stability of the Western Hemisphere.”

“The blockade against sanctioned and illegal Venezuelan oil remains in effect—across the globe,” commented US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on the operation.

Switched to Russian Flag

Before the new year, Bella 1 reportedly attempted to dock at a Venezuelan port under the Guyana flag but was met by the ongoing American blockade. The crew, however, did not wish to hand the ship over to US forces and chose instead to turn northeast.

After this, a cat-and-mouse chase reportedly took place across the Atlantic, with Bella 1 switching off its transponder and trying to evade its pursuers. The Americans received help from the British military, which, among other things, sent several reconnaissance and attack aircraft to hunt the ship.

On January 1st, Bella 1 turned its transponder back on, this time sailing under the Russian flag. The crew also painted a Russian flag on the side of the vessel and appealed for help from the attackers via Russian media, including video clips and photos showing American ships and a helicopter pursuing the oil tanker.

The US has accused Marinera of being connected to the Lebanese terror militia Hezbollah. Russia, for its part, claims that the US and Western countries are engaging in “international piracy.”