US Forces Seize Russian Oil Tanker Linked to Venezuela Amid Rising Tensions with Russia

In a move that could escalate tensions with Russia, the US has seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker linked to Venezuela after a two-week pursuit across the Atlantic. The operation, carried out by the US Coast Guard and military, comes just days after a US Special Forces raid in Caracas that led to the 'capture' of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The tanker, originally known as the Bella-1, had slipped through a US maritime blockade of sanctioned vessels and rebuffed US Coast Guard efforts to board it. However, US forces successfully boarded the vessel, which is now identified as the Marinera, in an operation that took place near Iceland. Russian military vessels, including a submarine, were reportedly in the vicinity of the operation, although the exact distance between them and the US forces is unclear. The seizure of the oil tanker is the second such incident in recent weeks, with the US Coast Guard having intercepted another fully-loaded Venezuela-linked tanker near the northeast coast of South America. The move has been met with strong criticism from Russia, with a senior lawmaker describing the US action as 'outright piracy.' The US has been enforcing a maritime blockade of sanctioned vessels from Venezuela, a policy initiated by former President Donald Trump. The latest development is likely to further strain relations between the US and Russia, raising concerns about the potential for increased tensions in the region.