US Seizes 2 Sanctioned Oil Tankers Linked to Venezuela in Atlantic, Caribbean

• The US seized two sanctioned oil tankers, Bella 1 (renamed Marinera) and Sophia, linked to Venezuela in the North Atlantic and Caribbean.
• Bella 1 was sanctioned in 2024 for allegedly smuggling cargo for Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group, and tried to evade a US blockade.
• The tanker was renamed Marinera, flagged to Russia, and its crew painted a Russian flag on the hull to avoid detection.
• Seizures were made pursuant to US federal court warrants, supporting President Donald Trump's policy against sanctioned vessels.
• These actions follow a recent raid on Caracas and reflect the US's intent to continue enforcing oil sanctions against Venezuela.

Why It Matters: US intensifies Venezuela sanctions enforcement by seizing two oil tankers in strategic waters.