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Connect the World
U.S. Seizes Russian-Flagged Oil Tanker Linked to Venezuela; Trump Announces U.S. Will Receive Venezuelan Oil; European Powers Express Support for Greenland, Denmark; Former NATO Envoy Criticizes Potential U.S. Greenland Takeover; DOW Nears 50,000 Milestone After Hitting Record High Tuesday; Israeli FM Makes First Official Visit to Somaliland. Aired 9-10a ET
Aired January 07, 2026 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[09:00:00]
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: All right, I want to start off with breaking news on the U.S. operation to seize an oil tanker that's
linked to Venezuela that could potentially have global repercussions. I'm Eleni Giokos and welcome to "Connect the World".
Now, a source tells CNN the operation has started after the U.S. tracked the tanker across the Atlantic. The Bella 1 is under U.S. sanctions for
allegedly transporting illicit oil. The tank is operating under a Russian flag, and Russia filed a diplomatic request last month demanding that the
U.S. stop pursuing the vessel.
We've got Clare Sebastian, who's following the story for us from London. Clare, we know that this is an active, very fast-moving situation. It is in
the Atlantic. Give me a sense of what we know right now.
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, we know, according to a source familiar with the operation, Eleni, that an attempt by the U.S. to try to
seize this vessel has begun. We don't know what stage it's at. Obviously, things are pretty fluid right now.
We believe that this is happening in the Icelandic exclusive economic zone. That's the waters sort of within a 200-kilometer radius from the coastline
of Iceland. The Icelandic Coast Guard told me this morning that they had been monitoring the vessel. They also said, interestingly, that it had been
maintaining a northeasterly course.
And then, according to monitoring systems, they said that it was now heading on a southerly course. We don't know why it changed direction,
whether or not it's related to this attempted seizure by the United States, but certainly that is notable. But look, this is a moment clearly of great
tension in a moment several weeks in the making. This is a tanker --
GIOKOS: Right, Clare, I just want to jump in there. Yeah. So, the what we're hearing is that the Bella 1 has been seized, that the U.S. has now
taken control of this oil tanker. So, this happened in the Atlantic, as you say, bearing the Russian flag, the U.S. had attempted to seize this very
same oil tanker last month, and now it has done so.
SEBASTIAN: Yeah.
GIOKOS: So, give me the context of the importance of this tanker, the importance to Venezuela, and also how it has been carrying oil from
Venezuela to the likes of Iran and even Russia.
SEBASTIAN: Yeah, so it seems that if the operation is over, that the resistance was not too great. We don't know, of course, the speculation at
this stage, but we know a key detail on this is that Reuters had reported that Russia had deployed a submarine and potentially other military vessels
to sort of go alongside this ship to supervise it, which suggests that the ship which had, of course re flagged.
It was flagged under Guyana when the U.S. originally tried to interdict it as it headed towards Venezuela in mid-December, then disappeared from the
radar and around January, 1 reappeared under a new name and under the Russian flag. So, it's just that Russia had tried to protect it.
But of course, now we see that the U.S. had seized it. So, I think what we're seeing here clearly is more U.S. military muscle on display, of
course, in the wake of the operation in Venezuela, the capture of Nicolas Maduro. But I think on the Russian side, critically, what we're also seeing
is Russia attempting to show that it is not a pushover in this new world order by claiming this ship.
Essentially giving up the deniability that the shadow fleet had afforded Russia. And then attempting, it seems, reportedly, with these military
assets in the area to protect it as well. But I think this will have to -- we'll have to see how this shakes out in terms of the diplomatic situation
between the U.S. and Russia.
Obviously, this is still going on in the context of the negotiations around the war in Ukraine.
GIOKOS: Absolutely. OK.
[09:05:00]
I want to just read the tweet that was just posted by the U.S. European Command, it says the U.S. Justice Department and the Department of Homeland
Security's in coordination with the Department of War today, seized the MV Bella 1 for violations of U.S. sanctions. The vessel was seized in the
North Atlantic pursuant to a warrant issued by a U.S. Federal Court after being tracked by the U.S. CDC Monroe.
So that oil tanker now seized and in U.S., under U.S. control. Clare, and you mentioned something quite important. You know, the U.S. is currently in
negotiations with Russia over Ukraine. This is clear escalation. We also know one of the big motives for the United States to ask Maduro is that he
was very closely linked to the likes of Russia, to the likes of China and even Iran.
And the big question of oil, U.S. President now says that 30 to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil is going to go to the United States, and it has
been actively pursuing oil tankers coming from Venezuela about two months ago. So, the oil game and the oil narrative here just as vital as the
geopolitical and the geostrategic narrative that we're seeing.
SEBASTIAN: Yeah, and I think certainly that is an area of concern for Moscow. They have been seeing over the past year the revenues they're
making from their oil exports fall as a result of sanctions, a result of the global drop in oil prices, as a result of Ukraine's actions, its deep
strikes within Russia.
And of course, some of those sanctions, critically, come from the United States, the sanctions on Russia's biggest oil giants, which have caused the
price of Russian oil to drop. So, this comes certainly at a fragile time for Moscow, the loss of a key ally in South America with Nicolas Maduro.
And now the potential for more Venezuelan oil to come onto the market, albeit likely very slowly, given the difficulties in terms of refining and
extracting it in the state of the Venezuelan oil industry overall. But I think that is clearly something that is front of mind in Moscow.
We haven't heard really from President Putin throughout all of this, but we did hear from the Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, which said that it
was watching with concern what it called the anomalous situation around the Russian oil tanker Marinera, which is the new name that it reemerged with
about a week ago.
GIOKOS: Yeah.
SEBASTIAN: And it said it was getting attention from the U.S. and NATO, which is elevated and clearly disproportionate to its global status. So, on
the one hand, expressing concern, they were sort of trying to thread the needle a bit there, trying to not make too much of an international
incident over this.
But I think really notable that they did come out and claim it, allow it to be re-flagged under the Russian registry, and then, according to these
reports, also tried to protect it militarily, Eleni.
GIOKOS: All right. Clare Sebastian, good to have you on this breaking news story for us. I also want to bring in CNN Military Analyst and Retired U.S.
Air Force Colonel Cedric Leighton. We also have CNN Global Affairs Analyst Kim Dozier, great to have you both.
Cedric, I want to start off with you. Just a few minutes ago, we heard the news that the United States has now seized Bella 1, the oil tanker that's
now under a Russian flag. It was in December under a flag of Guyana. The U.S. wasn't able to seize it about a month ago and now successful.
Take me through what you're reading into the operations out at sea.
COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Yeah, well, Eleni, this is a very sophisticated operation that took place here. It involved a lot
of assets from both the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard, as well as possibly some other assets, including special operations assets.
So, there was a movement of U.S. forces to Great Britain in the days just prior to the seizure today of the tanker Bella 1/Marinera. And that is, you
know, critical indicator that this ship had been followed by the U.S., and they had, for whatever reason, wanted to really focus on this tanker.
So, on the one hand, you know, it's an oil tanker, but there may be some other things associated with this, because if the Reuters reports are
correct that Clare mentioned, then there might be something else associated with this tanker, because the Russians moved assets, including possibly a
submarine, to try to protect this.
So, from a purely military standpoint, when you look at how this was undertaken, it was, you know, very, very sophisticated operation, and they
did it in spite of Russian attempts to protect it. And those Russian attempts were apparently based on these, you know, reports that we're
getting unsuccessful.
GIOKOS: All right. Kim Dozier, also with us. Kim, what are you reading into this? I mean President Trump making good on his word, frankly, and wanting
Venezuelan oil. This is a tanker that they tried to seize and were unsuccessful. And of course, the question of Russia comes into play here as
he tries to negotiate with him on the issue of Ukraine.
[09:10:00]
Is this going to infuriate the Russians and all sides involved?
KIMBERLY DOZIER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: It may well do, but it seems that Trump is emboldened by the seizure of Maduro, and riding high on the
success of that and the lack of the world sort of push back. There have been some statements against it, but it has made Trump realize a new that
when you're the superpower, there's nobody who can push back in the short term to stop you.
And as Cedric was saying, there was a lot of Russian attention being paid to the ship, lot of resources and assets protecting it, which makes you
wonder, what the heck are they carrying, and now the U.S. is going to be able to find out.
GIOKOS: Yeah.
DOZIER: It also comes at the same time that both Russia and China are upset over the attack on one of their allies, Venezuela, that they rely on for
oil. So, it is a way of Trump sending a signal to those other would-be superpowers that he has a way of, you know, seizing the jewels and making
them sit up and take notice.
But there will be some sort of payback down the line, and I don't think the White House is really calculating that yet.
GIOKOS: Yeah, that's a really good point. I mean, the question of, what is on this tanker, which is usually an oil tanker, Kim, you know, what were
they carrying? What is inside? This Russian submarine that was, you know, trying to avert, you know, the U.S. operation, also super interesting.
So, what's your view, what's your take on, what it could possibly be carrying? I mean, we're hypothesizing here, but it's an important question.
DOZIER: Yeah. I mean, Russia has been a long-time weapons supplier of Venezuela. So normally the flow goes in the other direction. It could be
carrying personnel who are trying to get secreted out of Venezuela and getting shelter somehow in Russia. We just don't know this is in the realm
of pure speculation.
But to assign a sub to protect it, that's a pretty big resource, if all the reporting on that is correct. The other thing I want to point out is this
brings Russian military hardware and U.S. military forces in very close proximity. That's the kind of situation where accidents can happen, and
that's dangerous on the high seas.
So, the fact that the White House was willing to risk this, despite all of Russia's signaling to stay away from this vessel, means the next phone call
between Trump and Putin is probably going to be pretty frosty.
GIOKOS: Yeah. OK, Cedric and good point that Kim makes there. This wasn't in the North Atlantic. This is, you know, out at sea. Here's a, you know,
pursuit of the Bella 1 that the U.S. you know clearly wanted to get its hands on. How do you think this is going to play out militarily?
Because it seems that the Trump Administration is willing to take all risks when it comes to what we're seeing out of Venezuela.
LEIGHTON: Yeah, that's absolutely true, Eleni. And one of the things that you know, to build upon what Kim was just saying, they're very much looking
at taking advantage of the situation that they've created for themselves. So, the U.S. Administration sees their big success with getting rid of
Maduro from a tactical military perspective.
And now they are emboldened in trying to get, after all, of the tankers, potentially, of the shadow fleet that could have a significant economic
impact on the Russians and the Iranians and anybody else, like the Cubans who is connected to that whole economic infrastructure, where they
basically trade oil that way.
One other thing I wanted to mention in relation to what might possibly be on this vessel, the Bella 1, I could potentially also, in addition to
personnel, as Kim mentioned, could also potentially be weapon systems such as an S-400 system, which would be a very sophisticated air defense system.
And maybe it didn't quite get to Venezuela in time, and the Russians don't want to have that fall into our hands. That's one possibility. It's clearly
speculation, but we'll have to see what actually is discovered as the U.S. Navy and the Coast Guard go through this vessel.
GIOKOS: Yeah. OK. So, Cedric, I mean, that's really important, because, as you both have mentioned, you know, sending out a sub to protect this
vessel. Clearly, it holds importance if it were carrying personnel, for example, or even weapons. And again, this is just one of the working
theories that we're seeing right now.
[09:15:00]
How would that deteriorate the relationship between the United States and Russia?
LEIGHTON: Well, I think it could have a significant impact, and that will, of course, have an impact on what happens with Ukraine, and how you know,
any ceasefire peace process, whatever we want to call it, I actually gets realized in this environment.
So, it, you know, as Kim was mentioning, the next phone call is going to be pretty frosty between Putin and Trump.
GIOKOS: Yeah.
LEIGHTON: -- not only are the phone calls going to be frosty, but the reaction between the two countries and the position of military forces is
going to get much different. Look for things to happen on the Eastern Flank of NATO, more Baltic incursions, more efforts in Eastern Europe.
GIOKOS: Yeah.
LEIGHTON: So that's going to be something that we'll probably see. And there's, of course, that whole shadow war that's going on in Eastern
Europe, with the Russians doing all kinds of things, including power outages, assassinations, that kind of stuff that's going to increase.
GIOKOS: All right. Cedric Leighton, Kim Dozier, great to have you with us. Thank you very much. As we're navigating this breaking news the United
States seizing that Russian flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic. You're watching "Connect the World". There's more news straight ahead. Stay
with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GIOKOS: Right. Welcome back, a reminder of the breaking news that we've been following for the last few minutes right here on CNN. A source telling
CNN that the U.S. has seized the tanker that it was tracking across the Atlantic Ocean, formerly known as the Bella 1.
It is under U.S. sanctions for allegedly transporting illicit oil. The tanker is operating under a Russian flag. And today, amid all the breaking
news developments, we're seeing U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio and other White House officials will brief Congress on Venezuela.
President Trump announcing today that Venezuela will transport between 30 and 50 million barrels of what he calls sanctioned oil to the United
States. Alayna Treene is at the White House. Stefano Pozzebon is in Bogota in Colombia. Great to see both of you. And Alayna, I want to start off with
you.
We've been hearing about the U.S. having some kind of influence in Venezuela, despite the fact that you've got an interim government in place
right now. You have more details on what the Trump Administration is demanding on Venezuela's new leadership. So, take me through that.
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: That's right. I think, of course, one of the key priorities for the Trump Administration right now is really
about trying to have not only influence, but in some ways, control over Venezuela's oil industry, which I should know, Venezuela is home to the
largest oil reserves in the world.
GIOKOS: Yeah.
TREENE: And what we're learning is that the Trump Administration, in recent days, has essentially laid out a series of conditions, essentially, that
they have told the Venezuela's Interim President Delcy Rodriguez, of course, she was previously the Vice President to Maduro, very much a part
of the Maduro government.
[09:20:00]
Essentially, that she must meet certain conditions in oil -- in order for Caracas to continue oil production and oil sales. And those really center
on among others, trying to sever ties, having Venezuela severities with U.S. foreign adversaries, places like China, Iran, Cuba, Russia, and also
to exclusively partner with the United States on a lot of the oil production, and essentially favor American oil companies and the Trump
Administration over other countries.
And so those are only some of the conditions in my conversations with Senior White House Officials that the Trump Administration had laid out.
But of course, these have incredible implications for what could happen next in Venezuela. And I'd remind you that the president, despite what we
have heard him say in the months leading up to that operation on Saturday and the capture of Maduro, saying that this was all about narco-terrorism.
The president has been making very clear that so much about this is oil and trying to really bolster the U.S. power and influence all over the Western
Hemisphere. He actually told the President, Joe Scarborough from MS NOW just a couple. Just yesterday, I believe he said that the difference
between Iraq and this is that Bush didn't keep the oil.
We're going to keep the oil. Of course, that's in response to some criticisms and skepticisms people have about how regime change in the past
has not really worked out the way that many of the president's predecessors had thought, and so the president has been communicating that he believes
by seizing the oil and taking the oil is going to change things.
GIOKOS: Yeah.
TREENE: And one thing I want to make clear as well, and some of the conversations we're having with you know, the president, who has been
talking to allies and other officials about what his long-term goal is. He really does see everything he is doing with Venezuela, about trying to
bolster U.S. influence in the Western Hemisphere and try to kick out Russian aggression, Chinese aggression and other foreign adversaries.
GIOKOS: All right, we've got Stefano with us as well, and this is such an important point when we talk about the 30 to 50 million barrels of oil that
the United States, and Trump is basically after that would come from Venezuela. You know you need the current regime to be on board.
Is Rodriguez on board with this? And importantly, what Alayna was alluding to is that the United States wants to see a pro American regime in
Venezuela. Do you see that likely happening?
STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I think that there will be a distinction between what Delcy Rodriguez will try to say and what she instead will --
instead do. She's definitely between a rock and a hard place, Alayna, as it is now, on one hand. She needs to show some backbone.
And she needs to stand up rhetorically to Donald Trump on the face of that brazen aggression that occurred in the early hours of Saturday, the same
time she knows that likely her -- the duration of her job depends on how long she can please the man in the White House.
And so, she will have to find a deal with the Americans. Now Delcy Rodriguez is incredibly skilled right at that, at making deals. She has
been handling the Venezuelan oil industry for the last several years, not only as the Vice President of Nicolas Maduro, especially tasked with the
economic appointments.
But most crucially, she was the President of the Venezuelan oil national company, PDVSA, which has been under sanction from the United States since
at least 2017, much which is in charge of all drilling and exploration projects in the country when it comes to oil.
So, she's used to sit down with pretty much the same executives that will meet, according to sources with the White House in the rest later this
week. So, Delcy clearly knows how to make those deals done. Clearly knows what is the difference between how a politician appear on the stage and
what that actually appears to happen behind closed doors?
And she's losing no time, by the way, Eleni, in making the state to look after her, essentially turning the page from the experience of Nicolas
Maduro just yesterday. She appointed two key positions as the new head of the presidential guard. So, the person essentially now responsible for her
security as -- president of the country.
But also, she appointed a new vice president for economic development, and lay out a series of goals that she would like Venezuela to achieve
economically for 2026. Clearly portraying the image that she is ready for what is coming after her, and she is the one that will hold that
relationship with the White House.
GIOKOS: Yeah.
POZZEBON: But also, with the basis of her left-wing radical movement that she represents in trying to balance those requests coming out from the
White House and coming from the base and from the rest of those who would like her to have a more anti imperialistic or perhaps bellicose approach to
the whole issue.
GIOKOS: Yeah.
[09:25:00]
POZZEBON: A quick note on those 30 to $50 million barrels demand that the White House has made, Eleni, we understand that those ones have already
been extracted, not like Venezuela will need to drill more oil in order to come up with that figure, between 30 and $50 million.
These are oil barrels that were meant to be sold on the black market to countries like China, Iran, Russia mostly, or India, that have been lean
lane in Venezuela since, at least, the U.S. Navy applied that naval blockade on Venezuela imports when it comes to oil exports.
GIOKOS: Yeah.
POZZEBON: And they've been in storage on tankers and the storage units on the ground in Venezuela. They've been there for the last several weeks. And
now very likely they will go towards the United States and the Gulf Coast up there in Corpus Christi, or other places in the Texas and Louisiana
Coast, where U.S. refineries have decades -- experience in dealing with the --
GIOKOS: Yeah. So, Stefano, that's a good point. Yeah. And that's a good point because Venezuela's oil production on a monthly basis, about 30
million barrels per month. So important. Stefano Pozzebon, Alayna Treene, thank you so much. Right, our Donald Trump is setting his sights on
Greenland.
The White House saying it's discussing a range of options for acquiring the Danish territory, including use of force. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio
is downplaying that possibility, with sources telling CNN, he told lawmakers the Trump Administration is looking to buy the island.
But the thoughts of the U.S. potentially taking over territory from NATO and the NATO ally has rankled the Alliance. A Former U.S. Envoy to NATO
says the diplomatic damage would be significant.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IVO DAALDER, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO NATO: I think the relationship with our European allies is going to be significantly up ended going after and
trying to take over. In fact, taking over an ally of the United States, a member of NATO sends a signal that the United States is more interested in
acquiring territory than providing for security of its allies.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: All right, you're watching "Connect the World". There's more news straight ahead. Stay with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GIOKOS: Right. Welcome back. I'm Eleni Giokos in Abu Dhabi. And you're watching "Connect the World". These are your headlines. The United States
has seized an oil tanker link to the Venezuelan -- to Venezuela in the North Atlantic, formerly called the Bella 1.
The tank is under U.S. sanctions for allegedly transporting illicit oil. It's been operating under the Russian flag after its crew painted the flag
on its whole while it was being pursued.
[09:30:00]
Venezuela's Acting President has declared seven days of mourning for those killed in the U.S. military operation to capture Nicolas Maduro. The
Venezuelan government has given no official death toll, but its eternal attorney general announced an investigation into, quote, dozens of deaths.
Right. We've a few seconds to go before the start of trade in New York, and it's going to be an important day. You have it trade officially begun, and
everyone focusing on the Dow Jones Industrial Average and whether it's going to hit that crucial 50,000 mark, it's been teetering close to that.
As we've seen quite a big rise on the oil majors that have been boosting the markets. Let's check in on where we are right now. As you can see, it's
up a quarter of a percent, and again, just below 50,000, 49,579 so very close. The blue-chip index closing above 49,000 for the first time ever
Tuesday.
So new record highs. And the S&P also hitting a fresh record high as well. Investors appear to be shrugging off uncertainty over Venezuela as markets
kick off a new year on a very strong note. We got CNN Business and Economics Reporter Anna Cooban joining us live from London.
Anna, great to see you. Look 50,000 for the DOW is a milestone. I want to talk about the oil majors getting a boost from Venezuela, and the fact that
they have an opportunity now. I guess, to invest in the United in Venezuela. That's what President Trump says.
But also, importantly, the significance of the S&P and how important that index is overall. Take me through it.
ANNA COOBAN, CNN BUSINESS & ECONOMICS REPORTER: Yes. Eleni, well, we've really started off 2026 with a bit of a bang for stock markets. It's only
been three trading days, and already we've seen a record high for the S&P, and we're trending towards that all time high for the DOW JONES.
Now it needs to be said that the DOW JONES is, you know, very old stock index. It only represents around 30 companies. It was created in the 1800s.
So, Wall Street traders look at it, but more in a symbolic way. But that is particularly significant, because, as you've mentioned, we've got all of
this geopolitical uncertainty and chaos at the moment, Venezuela, Greenland, just to name two issues that have arisen in the past few days.
And that normally would send investors flocking to various exits. But that's not what we've been seeing. And actually, this promise of having
Venezuelan crude come to the global market now the U.S. is very involved in Venezuela, is something which all else being equal, we would imagine seeing
oil prices potentially fall because of the expectation of a glutton supply.
But the market is already pretty well supplied. And there are many issues and practicalities of getting this Venezuelan oil to the market. So, a lot
of U.S. oil majors are sort of eyeing or looking at the kind of investments that would need to be made, very hefty investments in order to get that oil
pumping and sent around the world.
GIOKOS: All right, Anna Cooban thank you so very much. Good to see you. I want to take us back now to breaking news that we've been following this
hour. The United States has seized an oil tanker a link to Venezuela and the North Atlantic, formerly called the Bella 1, the tanker is under U.S.
sanctions for allegedly transporting illicit oil.
It is operating under a Russian flag. Zach Cohen joins us now. Zach and of course, this happening about half an hour ago, where the U.S. seized this
oil tanker. Give me an idea of where we stand right now and what the messaging is from the United States, other than they've been able to seize
this tank, despite the protection of a Russian submarine around the tanker itself.
ZACHARY COHEN, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Yeah, Eleni, the U.S. military announcing that it successfully seized this oil tanker, as you
mentioned, in the North Atlantic, pursuant to a warrant for allegedly transporting illicit oil. Now this was carried out by the U.S. military in
coordination with the Department of Justice.
And as you mentioned, this was in response to sanctions. It put in place by the United States back in 2024 against this tanker. The U.S. has tried to
pursue and seize this tanker before, previously known as the Bella 1. U.S. forces attempted to board the tanker back last month, but were unable to do
so, continuing to track it, though, with a series of surveillance aircraft deployed from the UK.
So, U.S. forces also repositioning here in the recent days ahead of this seizure, really as an indication that they were going to try again, and as
we've seen today, successfully doing so. So, this is not happening in a vacuum, though, right? We're told, and that by sources that the Trump
Administration plans to continue to target what is the so-called Shadow Fleet.
This fleet of tankers, flag was tankers linked to the Venezuela government that the U.S. believes is transporting oil illicitly around the world,
including to U.S. adversaries like Russia and China.
GIOKOS: Yeah.
COHEN: Those two countries in particular, are under intense focus by the Trump Administration after the operation to capture Venezuelan Leader
Nicolas Maduro.
[09:35:00]
They say that one of the demands that they made to Interim President Delcy Rodriguez is that Venezuela cuts off any engagement on the oil front with
China and Russia, really only working with the United States following the operation in order for her to remain in power.
So, this is something that we expect to continue to see happening. The U.S. continuing to target the shadow fleet of Venezuela link tankers. Meanwhile,
really hyper focused in the short term on securing the oil industry and the flow of oil from Venezuela.
GIOKOS: Yeah. All right. Zach Cohen, good to have you. Thank you so much for breaking that story down for us. And still to come. House and Senate
lawmakers are set to receive a classified briefing on the Trump Administration's plans for Venezuela. We're following developments. Stay
tuned.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GIOKOS: All right. Welcome back to CNN and breaking news just out a few seconds ago, the United States seizing another oil vessel, and this time in
the Caribbean. Here is what we know. The U.S. Southern Command announcing on X, that a vessel that's considered to be stateless, and according to the
Southern Command.
It was conducting illicit activities the Department of Defense and Homeland Security conducting that operation, and the vessel is now being escorted to
the U.S. And the seizure of this vehicle comes as the U.S. also seizing that Russian flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic about half an hour
ago.
That was the Bella 1. So, this is another oil vessel that has been seized in the Caribbean, just -- All right, it's another vessel, pardon me, it's
another vessel. We don't know that it's an oil tanker, but it is a vessel that has been seized in the Caribbean. That happening just a few minutes
ago.
This is in conjunction what we saw about half an hour ago with Bella 1 that was seized in the North Atlantic. So, this happening very quickly. We'll
bring you an update as we get more information. Meantime, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar made his first visit to Somaliland on Tuesday, after
Israel becoming the first country to formally recognize the self-declared republic in East Africa.
Somalia, which considers the region as part of its territory called the move a flagrant assault on its sovereignty. And major regional players,
including Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey, offering their own harsh condemnations. Israel was undeterred.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GIDEON SAAR, ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER: Israel is truly honored to be the first U.N. member state to recognize the Republic of Somaliland as an
independent and sovereign state. We hear the attacks, the criticism, the condemnations. Nobody will determine for Israel who we recognize and who we
maintain diplomatic relation with.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: Right, I want to turn to Iran, and protests spurred by economic hardship have entered the 11th day. Human Rights Group saying at least 29
people have been killed, and nearly 1200 have been arrested.
[09:40:00]
My next guest is regional scholar and friend of the show. We've got Fawaz Gerges is joining us. Fawaz, I'm so happy to see you. There are so many --
strategic earthquakes that are happening, I think, globally, right now. And it's great to have you with us to break this down. I want to talk about
Iran first and foremost.
We in the 12th day of these protests, we're seeing arrests, we're seeing people injured. Give me an idea of whether you think this is going to
result in regime change.
FAWAZ GERGES, AUTHOR, "THE GREAT BETRAYAL": Well, I mean, we don't know. My simple answer. We know that Iran faces severe domestic and international
challenges. This is for sure. And the challenge is the domestic challenge is that thousands of protesters basically have spread to almost 300
locations in 88 cities.
If you ask me, what I see, what I could really tell is that 2026 will be very consequential for Iran, because it will show whether the Islamic
Republic is resilient, whether Iran could really basically survive and overcome the domestic and the international challenges. Here is some
information for your audience.
And I'm sure you've given them a lot of information over the past 10 days, since the emergence the breakout of protesters. I mean, you have now the
currency, the Iranian currency, the rial has lost two thirds of its value in the past two years. Inflation has sky rocketed massive unemployment.
When the President of Iran himself yesterday says, well, look, much of the economic situation was out -- is out of the government's hands, it tells
you a great deal how impotent the government seems to be in the face of the deteriorating economic situation. And this is a direct result of severe
economic sanctions by the United States and Europe, economic mismanagement and, of course, systemic corruption.
GIOKOS: Yeah, and it's such an important point, because, you know, high cost of living and inflation at that level is a perfect recipe to put
pressure on any government. And I wonder how this is playing into the Trump Administration's hands, given that, as you say, partly the issue is because
of sanctions that Iran isn't even able to tap into international markets.
GERGES: Well, President Trump has been threatening Iran in the past few weeks, and in particular since his capture and arrest of the Venezuelan
President. He made it very clear that the United States is ready to attack Iran if the Iranian authorities clamp down or shoot civilian protesters.
And what he said really poured more gasoline on the raging fire in Iran. And in fact, Iranian officials have also threatened to retaliate against
the United States if and when the United States basically intervenes in Iran. What I fear and what I see is that both the Trump Administration and
the Netanyahu government view Iran as very fragile.
View what's happening in Iran as a golden opportunity to attack the regime and basically change the regime itself, as the United States has been
trying to do in Venezuela and other Latin American countries. In fact, what we have seen in the past few weeks since the American and Israeli attacks
on Iran, the goals have changed.
Now the Israeli Prime Minister says that he has a green light from the Trump Administration to attack Iran, not only if Iran renews its nuclear
program, but even if it tries to restore its ballistic missile program. So, what you have now, is that there's a race against time between escalation,
an American-Israeli war against Iran, and de-escalation diplomacy.
Let me make this prediction, and I could be wrong, and I hope I'm wrong. I think the question is not really whether we're going to see an American or
an Israeli attack against Iran in 2026, but when, whether it's going to happen in the next few weeks or next few months.
GIOKOS: You know you mentioned something so important. You know, we're in this escalatory environment. We saw what's happened with Venezuela, even
the threats against Greenland, which is an ally. You've got, Cuba, Colombia, and Iran. We've just covered the two vessels have been seized,
one in the Atlantic and one in the Caribbean.
[09:45:00]
Fawaz, where are we geo strategically, it feels like there's major shifts that are happening and new spheres of influence that are emerging. What are
you expecting this year?
GERGES: You know, I've been teaching international relations for almost, really, four decades, and now I'm a professor at the London School of
Economics. If you tell me what I have learned in the past three years or so, this is the most dangerous moment in world history since the end of
World War Two in 1945, the most dangerous, not one of the most dangerous moments in world history.
Why the rules have been shattered to a million pieces, the United State that established the rules and the norms of the international system since
1945 has become a rogue state. And this is not the word I use, a rogue state. The United States now represent, in particular, under Donald Trump,
a threat to international peace and security and a threat to the American Constitution.
When the most powerful nation in the world basically violates the basic rules of the international system, it creates precedents, dangerous
precedents that other powers could easily explode. So, you have really spread wars worldwide, no rules, epidemic of impunity.
Great powers could do whatever they want. Regime change now is in the air, and so we need to really, basically think the unthinkable, that 2026, will
be extremely dangerous, not only for the international system, but in particular in the Middle East, because Israel now is waging multiple wars
in multiple theaters, Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, and the big one, when and if it comes the Israel's attack on Iran could really basically
represent a rupture and plunge the Middle East into a great catastrophic situation.
GIOKOS: It's very sobering to hear this prediction, Fawaz, and it feels, and I was saying my team earlier, it feels like I'm living in a history
book, because the lessons have not been learned. We thank you, and I'm sure you'll come back on to discuss this further. Fawaz Gerges, have a great
day.
Much appreciated. All right, we also keeping a close eye on Capitol Hill, where House and Senate lawmakers from both parties will gather soon for
classified briefings on Venezuela. U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, as well as other top officials are expected
to speak with lawmakers about the strategy of removing President Nicolas Maduro from office and what comes next for Venezuela.
Now this comes as the U.S. Southern Command says it has seized another vessel today, this one in the Caribbean. This is the latest breaking news
that we've been following this hour. CNN's Arlette Saenz joining us for the story from Capitol Hill. What do we know about this vessel.
And importantly, a top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee saying the Trump Administration officials in a classified briefing on
Monday failing to detail a concrete plan for a post Maduro Venezuela.
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, these lawmakers are set to receive their first classified briefing from top Trump Administration officials
regarding their moves in Venezuela, and there are certainly a host of questions that they have for these officials.
Probably one of the things that's unfolding right now that you referenced was this U.S. seizure of a Russian flagged oil tanker and another vessel as
well. That is something that lawmakers, certainly in the Senate and the House, will be trying to press the Trump Administration officials on for
more information.
But one thing that we have heard from many Democratic Senators up here is these concerns about what will happen next after the U.S. conducted that
operation in Venezuela to oust the Former Leader Nicolas Maduro. They have questions about the structure for the leadership in the country going
forward, also what the U.S. intent is around the sale of oil from that country.
Many Democratic lawmakers have expressed concerns about the Trump Administration's tactics regarding Venezuela, but we have also heard some
concerns from Republicans such as Senator Rand Paul. He is one of those who is leading the push with Democratic Senator Tim Kaine to try to have that
vote on a war powers resolution on Venezuela.
That vote is expected to happen in the Senate tomorrow. But in addition to everything that these senators will be asking these officials about
regarding Venezuela. There's also a lot of concern about the administration's intent as it relates to Greenland.
[09:50:00]
We've heard the Trump Administration in recent days really heighten their rhetoric about trying to acquire Greenland, whether it's through purchasing
or potentially floating, the use of military force that is something the idea of military force that has caused some consternation, not just for
Democrats, but also for some Republicans.
So certainly, these lawmakers will also be pushing people like Secretary of State Marco Rubio for answers about what the U.S. intent is there, but we
do anticipate this briefing to kick off in about the next 10 minutes, as lawmakers are looking for more answers relating to Venezuela and the
administration's plans going forward.
GIOKOS: Yeah. All right, well, and there are a lot of questions. Arlette Saenz, thank you so much for that update. You're watching. "Connect the
World". More on this breaking news that we're following this latest vessel being seized by the United States. We have new video coming into CNN,
shared by the U.S. Southern Command on social media.
We'll go over everything we know about the story and the earlier tanker seizure that we've been following as well that happened in the North
Atlantic, two separate ships now in U.S. control. There it is. That is the vessel in the Caribbean that was seized just a short time ago. We've got
more news straight ahead. Stick with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GIOKOS: Right, welcome back, and I want to return to our breaking news. The U.S. has seized a second vessel, this one in the Caribbean. The U.S.
military's Southern Command says the vessel is considered to be stateless and was conducted illicit activities. Also today, the U.S. seized a Russian
flagged oil tanker linked to Venezuela that was in the North Atlantic.
Clare Sebastian is following the story for us from London. Clare, and we've got images right now up from U.S. Southern Command of this vessel in the
Caribbean that was seized. What more do we know about the second vessel that was seized in a day, in 24 hours?
SEBASTIAN: Yeah, a different location, obviously in the Caribbean Sea from the Russian flagged vessel that was seized earlier today. And these images
seem to show helicopters landing on the ship. There's also seems to be a Coast Guard vessel nearby. It's a little bit grainy and murky, as you see
those images coming from the U.S. Southern Command.
But they are describing this ship as a stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker. If it is stateless, then it assumes, I think, fewer legal
rights under the U.N. Law of the Sea than one carrying a national flag. So, it changes the legal picture a little bit. And they say it was conducting,
this is U.S. Southern Command, illicit activities in the Caribbean Sea.
We don't exactly know what illicit activities it's talking about, but it goes on to say this, post from U.S. Southern Command, the Department of War
is unwavering in its mission to crush illicit activity in the Western Hemisphere. So clearly, we're seeing two clear examples of U.S. muscle,
U.S. Naval muscle on display today, not only this, what could have been a confrontation with Russia up some 190 miles of the Coast of Iceland, but
also now in the Caribbean Sea with this second vessel.
So, I think it's a clear message that we're getting today from the United States, Eleni.
GIOKOS: Yeah, really important, as you mentioned, the Bella 1, which was seized a short time ago, actually, in the North Atlantic. This is the image
of the Bella 1. Importantly, we don't know if it was carrying oil. It is usually an oil tanker. That question still needs to be answered.
[09:55:00]
SEBASTIAN: Yeah, we had hired, certainly, experts from Kpler, which is a maritime intelligence. A company had told us that they believed it to be
empty, that it obviously, we know it traveled from Iran, headed towards Venezuela in mid-December, and then didn't actually reach the shores of
Venezuela.
So, they believed that it didn't actually load up with oil at that point. Then turned around, of course, did a U-turn in the Atlantic, went off the
radar and emerged on January 1st renamed and reflagged under the Russian registry, which of course, makes this particularly notable, because it sets
up this whole incident, this seizure that we saw today by the United States of the Coast of Iceland, as a potential confrontation with Russia.
Russian reactions so far very muted to non-existent on this they are likely, and I think precedent would show that Russian reactions in this
kind of situation where we see this sort of whiplash in U.S. foreign policy, they will wait. They will think about it.
GIOKOS: Yeah.
SEBASTIAN: They have the cover, of course of their long New Year's holidays to do that, but it looks like the seizure didn't take very long there, and
while Russia had reportedly deployed submarines and possibly other naval vessels to supervise that ship.
GIOKOS: Yeah.
SEBASTIAN: The resistance seems to have been fairly muted as well, Eleni.
GIOKOS: All right. And then what we're showing you right now is an image from inside the vessel taking a picture of what appears to be a U.S.
helicopter. All right, Clare Sebastian, thank you so very much for that. A lot of breaking news to get through today. "Connect the World" continues
right after the short break.
I'm Eleni Giokos. I'll be back right after this. Stick with CNN.
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