State Department warns US citizens to leave Venezuela

The U.S. launched an operation to seize the Marinera oil tanker -- formerly known as the Bella-1 -- which has been linked to Venezuela and is currently in the North Atlantic, according to three sources familiar with the operation.

The operation is being carried out by the U.S. Coast Guard and other military assets. Russian military vessels were in the area as the situation unfolded. 

The U.S. Coast Guard has been tracking the tanker for the last two weeks after attempting to seize it on Dec. 20 when the empty ship was in the Caribbean and apparently headed to Venezuela.

On Dec. 31 the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping listed the ship -- with the new name of Marinera -- as a Russian vessel. The ship's crew also painted a Russian flag on the ship's side.

The Bella-1 previously flew a false Panamanian flag and was listed as part of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet," which Moscow is accused of using to evade international sanctions. The vessel was already under U.S. sanctions for carrying Hezbollah-owned cargo and for providing a form of support to the Iranian regime.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez and Luke Barr

U.S. oil executives are expected to meet with President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday to discuss investments in Venezuela, a White House official confirmed to ABC News.

-ABC News' Mary Bruce

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Tuesday praised U.S. service members and intelligence personnel following the seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

In a post to X, Gabbard wrote, "President Trump promised the American people he would secure our borders, confront narcoterrorism, dangerous drug cartels and drug traffickers."

"Kudos to our servicemen and women and intelligence operators for their flawless execution of President Trump's order to deliver on his promise thru Operation Absolute Resolve," she added.

Gabbard, who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, previously argued the United States should not intervene in Venezuela and has criticized what she has called U.S. led "regime-change" wars.

In January 2019, Gabbard wrote, "The United States needs to stay out of Venezuela. Let the Venezuelan people determine their future. We don't want other countries to choose our leaders -- so we have to stop trying to choose theirs."

In remarks last year, she described Trump's foreign policy as a break from what she called the "old Washington way of thinking," arguing that decades of U.S. foreign policy centered on regime change and nation-building had "held us back for too long."

She said the administration has replaced "toppling regimes" with a pragmatic and deal-focused approach, emphasizing security, prosperity and direct diplomacy.

-ABC News' Beatrice Peterson

The Russian and Iranian foreign ministries both issued new statements of support for Venezuela on Tuesday. Both nations have been long-term partners of Caracas and backers of deposed President Nicolas Maduro's government.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said the appointment of interim President Delcy Rodriguez demonstrates Caracas' "determination to ensure unity and preserve the vertical structure of power" in the face of what it called "blatant neocolonial threats and armed aggression from outside."

"We reaffirm Russia's unwavering solidarity with the Venezuelan people and government," the statement said. "We express our readiness to continue providing the necessary support to our friend Venezuela."

"We firmly believe that Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own destiny without any destructive external interference," the ministry added.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, meanwhile, said in a statement that "violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries is unjustifiable under any circumstances. The actions of the United States run counter to international laws and regulations."

"Such practices will have negative consequences for the entire international community," he added. "The actions of the United States should be condemned and opposed by the international community, and all parties involved must bear full responsibility for their actions."

-ABC News' Will Gretsky