The Bella 1, renamed recently as the Marinera, was seized by the United States on January 7, 2026 in the North Atlantic. In December 2025 the U.S. Coast Guard attempted to intercept and seize the Bella 1, a sanctioned oil tanker, as it was heading to Venezuela to pick up a load of crude oil and possibly drop off cargo. The fleeing vessel had captured the news media prior to and during the conduct of Operation Absolute Resolve in Venezuela on January 3, 2026.
The Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Department of War, today announced the seizure of the M/V Bella for violations of U.S. sanctions (U.S. Treasury, June 10, 2024). The vessel was seized in the North Atlantic pursuant to a warrant issued by a U.S. federal court after being tracked by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro (WMSL-755).
The United States has imposed a U.S. blockade on sanctioned oil vessels around Venezuela. The Bella 1 is tied to oil movements associated with Iran, Venezuela, and Russia. The U.S. is continuing its blockade of sanctioned oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela. The capture of the vessel had the potential to risk a confrontation with Russia – as the vessel had changed its flag to that of Russia and being listed on a ship registry as a Russian vessel. However, there were no Russian vessels in the immediate area of the boarding – so a Russian response was limited to diplomatic protests.
The U.S. attempted to stop and board the oil tanker when it was in the Caribbean Sea. However, when the USCG challenged the Bella 1, the vessel changed course, heading away from Venezuela in an attempt to avoid seizure. Despite the USCG efforts, the tanker would not stop and refused to be boarded.
The Bella 1 used familiar tactics that sanctioned oil tankers employ to hide their identity and location. Its AIS transponder had been turned off since mid-December. It later resumed transmissions as it headed north in the Atlantic Ocean.
Tracking the Fleeing Oil Tanker into the North Atlantic
The persistence of the U.S. in tracking the oil tanker all the way to the North Atlantic raised speculation that the cargo the Bella 1 was carrying to Venezuela was of great importance. The Coast Guard Legend Class Cutter followed the Bella 1 for several days into the North Atlantic.
Photo: Coast Guard Cutter Munro (WMSL 755), U.S. Coast Guard photo.
United States Navy P-8 Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft have been flying out of RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, England keeping track of the oil tanker. In addition, there are news reports of aircraft from Ireland and the UK (RAF RC-135 and RAF P-8) assisting in the surveillance of the Bella 1. There was a lot of military air traffic prior to the operation and during the operation in the UK – and Iceland region.
There were multiple news media reports about Russia’s response to the event. According to The Wall Street Journal, Russia was sending a submarine (WSJ, Jan 6, 2026) and other naval vessels in an attempt to escort the tanker to a Russian port.
Photo: A US Coast Guard cutter alongside the sanctioned oil tanker Bella 1 / Marinera. (Photo US Coast Guard January 2026)
How the Operation was Conducted
The seizure took place south of Iceland and northwest of the British Isles as it was heading into the Greenland Iceland United Kingdom (GIUK) gap. Initial press reports indicate that a special operations unit (most likely U.S. Navy SEALs) supported by the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR)- the “Night Stalkers” and the U.S. Coast Guard, conducted the seizure. There are reports that at least one AC-130 Ghostrider was in support. MH-6 Little Birds most likely launched from a surface vessel at sea. The CG cutter has a helipad and facilities that would support helicopters.
Image: Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom Gap (image derived from CIA map)
There were numerous aircraft supporting this operation. One OSINT account on Twitter, DefenceGeek, posted a chart detailing aircraft likely involved from the US and GB. According to the chart, the various aircraft included C-130J Super Hercules, CV-22B Osprey, KC-135 Stratotanker, P-8A Poseidon, RC-135W Rivet Joint, U-28 Draco, CN-235M-100, C-146A Greyhound, and A400M Atlas. USAF CV22 Ospreys are assigned to the 352nd Special Operations Wing at based at RAF Mildenhall, England.
Russia Today (RT) released photos taken by the crew of the Bella 1 showing an MH-6 Little Bird (Wikipedia) circling the oil tanker. More details on the boarding party will emerge as time goes on. It is likely that the some aviation special operations forces launched from RAF Fairford in the UK (SOF News). According to one OSINT Twitter account three Pilatus U-28A “Draco” (USAF Fact Sheet) special operations aircraft belonging to Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) departed early on January 7th from Wick John O’Groats Airport in Northern Scotland and headed on a flight path towards Iceland and the Russian-flagged oil tanker.
The UK Ministry of Defence stated that it supported the operation providing basing, assistance from RFA Tideforce (tanker with a helipad, see photo), and aerial surveillance. The MoD issued this statement (Twitter) on January 7, 2026:
“The UK has provided enabling support to the United States at their request to interdict the vessel Bella 1 today. UK armed forces provided pre-planned operational support, including basing, to U.S. military assets interdicting the Bella 1 between the UK and Iceland following a U.S. request for assistance. RFA Tideforce is providing support for U.S. forces pursuing and interdicting the Bella 1, while the RAF provided surveillance surveillance support from the air. The UK and U.S. defense and security relationship is the deepest in the world and the UK provided enabling support in full compliance with international law”
Some of the U.S. aircraft in the operation paid a call to the Keflavik International Airport in Iceland. Little news has come out about the role that Iceland played in the operation, but certainly there is more to the story than what has come out in the press. Social media has also noted that there were several U.S. warships in the North Atlantic region – including a couple of destroyers that possibly were supported by a Spanish oiler.
Impending Seizure Was Widely Reported by News Media
The potential seizure of the Bella1 was widely reported in early January by OSINT sources, defense news blogs, and then main stream news media. OSINT accounts on Twitter have been using aircraft tracking websites to post messages on the flights arriving and departing from military bases known to have special operations forces to various airfields in England – especially RAF Fairford. Speculation over the past several days raised suspicions that special operations forces would be used to seize the Bella 1 (SOF News).
On Sunday, January 4, 2026, the UK Defence Journal reported on the numerous U.S. military air movements into the United Kingdom, stating that they “. . . indicate a redeployment of American special forces into Europe . . .” The article listed some of the arriving aircraft as C-17 Globemaster III transports originating from Fort Campbell, Kentucky and Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia – bases used by the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. Other newly arrived aircraft include AC-130J Ghostrider gunships, and SOF turboprops. A CASA CN-235 ISR plane made an appearance at RAF Fairford.
Howard Altman, a writer for The War Zone, published a story on the flow of special operations aircraft into the United Kingdom on January 5, 2026, entitled “U.S. Special Ops Aircraft Arriving In UK Could Point to Looming Oil Tanker Boarding Operations”. He provides many details that OSINT accounts have posted on air movements into the UK.
U.S. Actions Against Sanctioned Oil Tankers Continue
The U.S. is continuing its campaign against sanction oil tankers. In December 2025, the U.S. seized the tankers Skipper and Centuries. Both were carrying almost 2 million barrels of Venezuelan crude oil.
On January 7, 2026, U.S. Southern Command announced that the M/T Sophia, described as “a stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker”, was apprehended in the Caribbean Sea. The U.S. Coast Guard is escorting the M/T Sophia, last port visited was Venezuela, to the U.S. This oil tanker was falsely flying the flag of Cameroon but was registered as Panamanian-flagged. The ship had departed Venezuela in early January with its transponder off – likely with a destination of China.
The Russian reaction was quick. It stated in press releases that the seizure by the US military of a tanker under the Russian flag violates international law. As of January 7, 2026, at least four sanctioned oil tankers have been seized by the United States since December 2025. These actions put pressure on Venezuela and also Russia. As of January 7th, there are five sanctioned oil tankers attempting to evade the Venezuela blockade who have switched their flags to Russia. These include the Hyperion, Veronica (now Galileo), Dianchi (Expander), and Malak (Sinte).
On January 7, 2026, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth posted on Twitter:
“The blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil remains in FULL EFFECT.”
Disrupting the Russian shadow fleet has been a priority for the United States and other nations. Sanctions have been imposed on 100s of “dark fleet” oil tankers. Russia’s oil revenues have declined in the past year by over 25%. The United States has ‘blacklisted’ over 700 oil tankers.
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Image: Photo by of USEUCOM, Twitter, 7 Jan 2026. Map by CIA. This story will be updated as more details emerge.
