The US has seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker, formerly known as the Bella 1 and now called Marinera, with ties to Venezuela, confirming the action by US European Command. The tanker was intercepted in the North Atlantic after evading a maritime blockade for two weeks and was previously sanctioned for allegedly smuggling cargo linked to Hezbollah. Russia claims the vessel was operating in international waters, while the seizure follows a recent US raid in Caracas to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Additionally, another Venezuela-linked tanker, the M Sophia, was intercepted by the US Coast Guard in Caribbean waters.
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