This is what the chase after the Russian tanker looked like. The British RAF supported the USA
The information about British support for the operation was confirmed on Wednesday by the Ministry of Defense. As stated in the issued statement, the British armed forces provided operational assistance at the request of the US, which included the use of air bases by the American air force, support of a Royal Navy ship and reconnaissance support for Royal Air Force aircraft.
The article continues below the video
What support did the British armed forces provide during the operation?
What did the US European Command confirm?
What name did the tanker change after the first seizure attempt?
Why was the Bella 1 tanker subject to US sanctions?
Information about British support for the operation was first reported by “The i” daily. The fact that the tanker was detained was confirmed earlier on Wednesday by the US European Command (EUCOM).
British Defense Secretary John Healey said the operation targeted a ship “with a nefarious history” linked to Russian and Iranian sanctions-evading criminal networks. “This action was part of a global effort to combat sanctions violations,” Healey said in a statement.
The US seized a Russian tanker
On Wednesday, the US European Command (EUCOM) announced the seizure of the M/V Bella 1 tanker, sailing under the Russian flag and with a changed name, in connection with circumventing US sanctions.
Bella 1 is a tanker linked to Venezuela and Iran that escaped from the Venezuelan blockade and has been pursued by American ships for two weeks. He was placed under US sanctions in 2024 for transporting Iranian crude oil.
The White House said the ship was stateless and flying a false flag. However, after resisting an attempt to occupy it for the first time in December, it changed its name to Marinera and was registered as Russian.
