In a dramatic escalation of maritime enforcement efforts, U.S. special operations forces have arrived in the United Kingdom as part of a multinational operation to intercept a sanctioned oil tanker suspected of evading sanctions and transporting Venezuelan crude to Russia.
American military aircraft, including helicopters and support planes, have landed at RAF Fairford in preparation for a possible high-seas boarding operation. The target, the tanker *Marinera*, is currently navigating the North Atlantic approximately 500 miles west of Ireland while flying a Russian flag.
The vessel is accused of being part of a covert "shadow fleet" used to bypass international sanctions against regimes in Venezuela, Iran, and Russia. According to defense sources, the tanker previously evaded capture in the Caribbean following former President Donald Trump’s declaration of a full blockade on Venezuelan oil.
The operation involves elite units, including the U.S. Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment—known as the Night Stalkers—equipped with Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters capable of inserting commandos onto moving ships. Additional air support, including V-22 Ospreys and surveillance aircraft, is operating from nearby RAF Mildenhall.
U.S. officials have indicated a preference to seize the tanker rather than disable it, reflecting a strategy similar to a helicopter-borne raid conducted last month against another sanctioned vessel. A decision on whether to proceed is expected shortly.
This interception effort underscores Washington’s intensified campaign to disrupt the flow of oil from sanctioned nations and marks a significant show of force in international waters as the U.S. and its allies attempt to enforce compliance with global sanctions regimes.
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