Operations mark latest demonstration of brazen US military power and reach – key US politics stories from 7 January 2026
US European Command said on Wednesday that it had boarded the Marinera, a Russian-flagged oil tanker, over alleged sanctions violations, bringing to an end a dramatic two-week pursuit that began in the Caribbean and concluded in the Atlantic.
Separately on Wednesday, the US Coast Guard announced it had intercepted another dark-fleet tanker that is under sanctions, the M Sophia, in a pre-dawn operation in the Caribbean.
Commenting on the twin operations, the White House signalled it would continue to seize Venezuela-linked oil vessels after Donald Trump last month imposed what he described as a “complete blockade” on ships transporting oil for Caracas.
Asked whether the seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the Atlantic risked escalating tensions with Russia, Leavitt did not respond directly, saying the vessel’s crew could be transferred to the US for prosecution “if necessary”.
