Name: UK military supported US operation to seize tanker in Atlantic | BBC News
Uploaded: 2026-01-07T17:10:37.000Z
Duration: 4 min 53 s
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Well, let's stay with this and more breaking developments because the Ministry of Defense have just made a statement in the last few moments confirming that British armed forces provided support to the US operation to seize the Manara tanker, including RAF surveillance and a support ship that has come from the Ministry of Defense.

That is the vessel that they are talking about, one of the two Venezuelan tankers that have been seized.

Let's go straight to Westminster, straight to our political correspondent Jack Fenwick.

We've had confirmation in the last few minutes as you say, that the UK did provide support to US forces when that operation to seize that tanker was happening.

Now I don't think it comes as a huge surprise when we sort of started hearing that the US may try and seize this tanker.

In the last couple of days there have been questions asked about whether the UK could, could potentially be involved given whereabouts in the world that tanker was.

They say UK Armed Forces provided pre planned operational supports.

They were involved in the state planning stages before that operation as well.

They say that RFA Tide Force provided support to the American forces.

Now, RFA Tide Force is a vessel that's often used to provide logistical support to the Royal Navy.

And they also say that the RAF provided surveillance support for from the air.

So British planes being used there as well.

We've also had words from the Defense Secretary, John Healey in the last few moments.

He said today our UK armed forces showed skill and professionalism in support of a successful US interception of the vessel Bela 1 while on its way to Russia.

He said this action formed part of global efforts to crack down on sanctions busting.

Now, as I say, these questions have started to be asked of the UK government whether they were involved earlier in the day.

At lunchtime today, there was a briefing from Downing street officials for journalists.

Now that happened just after Prime Minister's questions when the news was just breaking that the US had launched this operation.

Now at the time, the Downing street officials weren't providing any details.

They were saying that they were not able to talk about the operational activity of a third country, even if that was involving them using British bases.

But we have just had that confirmation in the last few moments that the UK was involved in in that operation.

Both planes being involved and involved in the pre planning stages as well.

Jack, I've got the full statement in front of me now from the mod and it includes assessments as well.

And it says that the Bella one is sanctioned by the US under its counter Iran sanctions aimed at stopping Iran from fuelling instability in the Middle East.

They also talk about recent assessments showing that the Bellawan have been involved in illegal activity linked to the international terrorism and crimes, including Hezbollah, as part of a web of rising shadow activity that fuels and finances nefarious activity across the globe.

it's no great surprise repeating some of the main lines that we've heard from the Americans.

As you say, I think given they have confirmed that British forces were involved, it's not a surprise that they are going to repeat the lines used by the Americans.

But I think also, you know, we've got to see this in the context of the sort of various events that have happened in the last few days.

Remember when it came to the US Launching that action in Venezuela a few days ago, the UK haven't criticized that, but

also were very keen to say that UK Forces were not involved in that.

Now, obviously with this, it's a different matter.

Now, that may well be because of geography.

We know that that vessel, that tanker, was pretty close to the UK that's why those questions had started being asked.

But yeah, very much echoing the sort of language used by the United States when justifying why it was right to get involved in this action today.

Jack, thanks very much for the latest there from Westminster.

I just want to go back to Texas, that roundtable that I said was just about to get underway there.

I just want to put the sound up and hear if she already is referencing this operation perpetuated fraud of our benefit programs and programs that were created to serve the most vulnerable people in our country, to give them health care, to help developmentally disabled individuals.

Not only were they here illegally and broke our immigration laws, but

then they came here and stole from the American.

Well, Kristina, talking about domestic issues, I would just stay with this for a few moments in case she gets asked or takes the conversation to these oil tankers because she posted that long post that I read out a little earlier detailing both the operations.

And if she turns to that, we will return to Texas and get the very latest.