An oil tanker bound for Russia and linked to Venezuela and Hezbollah in Lebanon was seized by the U.S. military in a daring operation in the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday (January 7).

The British Ministry of Defence revealed that the seizure of the Russian-flagged oil tanker was supported by the British Armed Forces and claimed that the ship was also linked to Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed terrorist organization.

White House Press Secretary Carolyn Levitt told reporters on Wednesday that the detained crew members would be "brought to the United States to face prosecution if necessary."



U.S. Defense Secretary Peter Heggs told reporters that the operation to seize sanctioned or stateless oil tankers departing from Venezuela will continue. Heggs said, "Our military is ready to continue this operation."

"The president keeps his word; he's not joking. We are an action-oriented government committed to advancing our own interests, and this is clearly demonstrated."

Did the UK participate in this arrest operation?

The UK Ministry of Defence stated that the supply ship HMAS Tideforce and a Royal Air Force reconnaissance aircraft assisted the US in seizing the oil tanker, also known as the Bella 1.

British Defence Secretary John Healy said: "Today, our British armed forces demonstrated skill and professionalism in supporting the United States in the successful interception of the Bella 1 vessel bound for Russia. This action is part of a global effort to combat sanctions circumvention."

"The UK will continue to intensify its crackdown on shadow fleet activities to protect our national security, economy and global stability – keeping the UK safe at home and strong overseas."

"The United States is the United Kingdom's closest defense and security partner. Our deep defense relationship with the United States is an important part of our security, and today's seamless execution of this action is a testament to how well this works in practice."

The UK Ministry of Defence added that the ship initially flew a false flag and was assessed to be involved in illicit activities linked to Hezbollah.

The U.S. European Command, headquartered in Germany, confirmed that it has seized the USS Marinara for "violating U.S. sanctions." In a statement, it said, "The vessel was seized in the North Atlantic after being tracked by the U.S. Coast Guard vessel USS Monroe and following a search warrant issued by a U.S. federal court."

This is part of President Donald Trump's radical move to forcibly intervene in the flow of oil in the United States.

The Marinera, which is under US sanctions, has spent at least two weeks trying to circumvent the US blockade near Venezuela.

MarineTraffic's ship tracking data shows that the tanker was approaching Iceland's exclusive economic zone on Wednesday.

The ship departed from Iran and was en route to Venezuela to load oil as part of a so-called "shadow fleet" that continues to transport oil for Russia, Iran, and Venezuela despite increasing sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies.



After leaving the Caribbean, its name was changed from "Bella 1" to "Marinera," and the flag was switched from Guyana to Russia. Further data from TankerTraffic shows that the vessel suddenly turned south while slowing down.

This incident occurred following a controversial boarding attempt in late December. On December 21, the U.S. Coast Guard attempted to intercept the Bella 1 near Venezuela, but the ship's crew refused to allow personnel to board.

In the days that followed, the ship changed its identity, and the crew painted the hull with the Russian tricolor flag.

As of January 1, the ship has been officially renamed "Marinera" and has been listed in the Russian Register of Ships.

It is alleged that Royal Air Force aircraft participated in the US operation, and British air bases were used as departure points for the boarding mission.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander stated that the "Bella 1" vessel had "a rather poor track record." In an interview, she described the mission as a success and said that "all actions were fully in accordance with international law."

"We provided support to the United States, including the use of a Royal Auxiliary Fleet vessel called HMS Tide, which was primarily responsible for refueling ships at sea. In addition, the Royal Air Force provided some air surveillance."

The United States seized another Shadow Fleet oil tanker, the Sofia, in the Caribbean early Wednesday morning. Authorities said the tanker was carrying oil from Venezuela.

In response to the success of the operation, U.S. Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth stated that the U.S. blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil is "effective" "anywhere in the world".

Analysis of the impact on the gold market

The news of the joint US-UK seizure of the "shadow fleet" of oil tankers is a landmark event in the recent escalation of geopolitical tensions, which will have a clear and direct positive impact on the gold market.

In the short term, this news should help curb a sharp pullback in gold prices and could soon drive a price stabilization and rebound. Spot gold was trading around $4,450 per ounce in early Asian trading on Thursday.

In the medium to long term, this event, combined with other geopolitical risks, creates a highly uncertain macroeconomic environment, which is precisely the stage where gold, as a safe-haven asset, can best demonstrate its value. Therefore, this event should be regarded by gold investors as an important supporting factor for prices and a potential trigger for price increases.



(Spot gold daily chart, source: FX678)

At 9:00 AM Beijing time, spot gold is trading at $4445.93 per ounce.