Evidence from credible sources supports the statement as accurate. Learn more in Methodology.
Verification that two additional ships were seized by U.S. forces as part of the oil quarantine/enforcement action.
Multiple credible reports on 7 January 2026 state that U.S. forces seized two additional sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuelan crude exports in separate but near-simultaneous operations in the North Atlantic and the Caribbean. BBC and AP/CNBC describe the seizure of the Bella 1/Marinera and the M/T Sophia as part of efforts to choke off Venezuelan oil, while U.S. European Command and SOUTHCOM announcements confirm these actions. Anadolu Agency and Bloomberg reporting (via ThePrint) explicitly characterize these as part of a broader U.S. blockade or ‘energy quarantine’ on sanctioned Venezuelan oil and note that they raise the total number of tankers detained under the quarantine to four. Earlier Reuters coverage documents prior U.S. seizures and interceptions under Trump’s declared blockade of sanctioned oil tankers around Venezuela, supporting the description of these as “two more” ships. Based on this converging evidence, the claim that U.S. forces seized two more ships related to the oil quarantine is accurate.
Verdict: True, because independent reporting and official commands confirm that two additional tankers were seized on that date as part of the ongoing U.S. oil blockade/quarantine targeting Venezuelan exports.