Britain’s Ministry of Defence has confirmed that it provided military assistance to US forces who seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker north-west of Britain and Ireland, with Defence Secretary John Healey insisting the operation was lawful as the vessel had breached US sanctions on Iran.
Healey said the tanker, named Marinera and sailing from the Caribbean towards Russia, had previously been sanctioned under the name Bella 1. He described it as part of a “Russian-Iranian axis of sanctions evasion” and noted it had changed its name five times in five years and had falsely flown the flag of Guyana, rendering it stateless and therefore subject to lawful interception.
The UK acted in response to a US request for help, but no British forces took part in the boarding itself. Assistance included allowing US aircraft to use bases, providing extra RAF surveillance, and refuelling through the Royal Navy vessel RFA Tideforce. Flight records also showed an RAF Rivet Joint surveillance plane operating from the Atlantic north of Ireland.
Political reactions were mixed, with Conservative defence spokesperson James Cartlidge supporting the seizure, while the Liberal Democrats called for clarification on its legality under international law. Green MP Ellie Chowns questioned why the UK was “hanging on US military coattails” and asked whether stronger economic sanctions could have been imposed on the shadow fleet.
The vessel, originally the Bella 1, had been sanctioned by the US Treasury in July 2024 for allegedly carrying illicit cargo for a company owned by Hezbollah. It was not thought to be carrying oil. After being approached by the US Coast Guard in late December, it rapidly reversed course, was renamed Marinera and reflagged to Russia. The US military’s European Command thanked the UK for its “unwavering support” during the operation.
