British forces have joined United States military personnel in a high-profile operation to seize a Russian-flagged oil tanker, the Marinera, off the coast of Scotland. The vessel, previously known as Bella-1 and linked to Venezuela, was intercepted as it sailed towards Iceland, with British surveillance aircraft and a naval support ship involved in the mission.

The operation took place in international waters and was observed by Russian military personnel from a nearby submarine. Dramatic images released by Russian media show a helicopter approaching the vessel before its capture by United States forces. The Ministry of Defence stated that the action was conducted in full compliance with international law, despite Russian officials suggesting otherwise.

Defence Secretary John Healey praised the professionalism of British forces and emphasized that the operation was part of ongoing efforts to combat sanctions evasion. The Marinera is believed to have been involved in illegal activity linked to Hezbollah and had previously attempted to evade capture by changing its name and flag. The incident is expected to heighten tensions between Western nations and Moscow.