Cem Gürdeniz evaluates America's lawlessness at sea: A very dangerous stage for humanity has been reached

The US in the open sea between Iceland and the UKseizeda Russian-flagged oil tanker. The UK Ministry of Defence announced that British soldiers also participated in the operation.announcedthat US officials in the Caribbeanopenannounced that another oil tanker had been seized in its waters.

US Secretary of Homeland SecurityKristi Noemannounced that the US Coast GuardCommandhad seized two tanker ships belonging to the "ghost fleet" through "meticulously coordinated" operations.Shestated.

It was announced that the operationstook place a fewhoursapart.US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also

made a statement regarding the matter on his X account,stating,"Sanctioned and illegal Venezuelan oil"the blockade against it is continuing EXACTLY as it is all over theworld," he said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry had made acallfor the tanker named Marinera not to be obstructed at the time it was seized off the coast of Iceland. hadmade a call.

White House SSpokesperson Karoline Leavitt, in a press conference where she provided information regarding the tanker operations,stated that the Russian-flagged vessel was "considered stateless due to an incorrect flag."RETIRED

ADMIRALCEM GÜRDENİZEVALUATEDTHEGÜRDENİ'S STRIKING EVALUATIOINTERVIEW

Cem Gürdeniz on the US seizure of tankers Following this lawlessness occurring in international regarding the final stages as wellHe made assessments.

Gürdeniz stated the following: wrote :

"Today, the US Navy seized a 318,000-ton Russian-flagged crude oil tanker named Marinera in international waters in the North Atlantic Ocean without the permission of the flag state This constitutes a violation of international written and customarymaritime law, effectively breaching one of its most fundamental pillars.This incident is not an ordinary 'sanction enforcement,' but rather

an act that disregards the sovereignty of the flag state, which upholds the legalorder in the oceans.The Trump

administration had previously seized a vessel belonging to Venezuelain the Caribbean Sea.by sinking boats it claims are involved in illicit activities without question over the past year, it has alreadydeclared to the whole world that it does not recognize maritime law.Now, by boarding a Russian-flagged tanker without the consent of the flag state,

it has committed an act of lawlessness. Thisisaviolation. is raising the stakes significantly andpulling the ladder ofescalation severalsteps higher.

The UnitedNations Convention on the Law of theSeaeven if the US is not a party to the convention, customaryinternational law and armedconflict lawprohibit the boarding of merchant ships in peacetime without the consent of the flag stateonthe high seas without exception.prohibits seizure. Exceptions include piracy, slave trade, unauthorized radio broadcasting, or the status of a stateless vessel. None of these are clearly present here.

The justification the US relies onis the US's own national sanctions. However, these sanctions, UN SSecurity Council resolutionis not and has no international binding force.

For the first time, the US has forcibly seized a Russian-flagged ship on theopensea, crossing the thresholdof escalation. This, along with the Trumpera, marks Washington's increasingnot only 'legal gray areas', butunder nocircumstances do they recognize legal redlines either,demonstrating this.

Although Russia'sreaction at this stage remains at the level of condemning the incident, it is likely that the scale of future reactions will increase.

There is no doubt that this incident will be read by Moscow as astrategic breaking point. In reality, after thedrone attack allegedly carried outunder CIA control on Putin'sresidence, this incidentthat occurred represents a very serious arm-wrestling match between the US and Russia.is showing thatit is.

Russia is not taking a step back in the Ukrainenegotiations, is not leaning toward a ceasefire, and is continuing its advance in the Donbas everyday.

The US, with its indirectattitude strategy (killing two birds with one stone), first with the intervention in Venezuela and subsequentlyboarding the Russian-flagged tanker andexpressing dissatisfaction with the current situation in this manner. Similarly, a potential armed intervention against Iran for the sake of Israel may alsohave been used to send a message to Russia through an indirect stance strategy, serving as a warning to 'stay away from Iran'.

However, by unlawfully boardingthe ship, a precedenta Pandora's box has been openedinregardto this. If this act becomes normalized, the US could do the same to Russian or Chinese-flaggedvessels; Russia could do the same to Western merchant ships; and China could do the same to third-country vessels in the Indo-Pacific for the samereason.can begin to intervene withsanctions. Thus,the open seasare effectively divided into“spheres of influence.”From this point on,it is not maritime law, but rather whoever can stopthe other thatthe era and order that is validbegins.

This is not just a US-Russia tension.

This is asystemic break that concerns all maritime states.break.

Todaydone to a Russian shipTomorrow, this could be done to aTurkish, Greek, Chinese, or Indian ship.This is possible. Because when a precedent is set,it is not the law that prevails, but practice. This is an escalation threshold and a new phase in the militarization of the oceans.

If, in the seas and oceans, where 12.5 billion tons of

cargo are transported annually,this continues.If the maritime trade regime and the security of freedom of navigationare notguaranteed, this situationwould mean the collapse of global trade and the economy.It means.

In fact, with this move, the US has plunged a dagger into thesecure maritime trade regime it established in the oceans and seas after 1945.Trump, glassshoplike an elephant that has entered a store, it is advancing by smashing everything.

For humanity,a very dangerous stage has been reached. From now on, the seas will also turn into a sceneof armed conflict.They are turningwill happen. Before the Second WorldWar,unidentified submarines were sinking merchant ships. History is repeating itself!!!History is repeating itself!!!"

Today, the US Navy boarding the 318,000-ton Russian-flagged crude oil tanker named Marinera in international waters in the North Atlantic Ocean without the permission of the flag state is a de facto violation of one of the most fundamental pillars of international written and customary maritime law... pic.twitter.com/GxtOpBkx7Y

— Cem GÜRDENİZ (@cemgurdeniznet) January 7, 2026

News Source: 12punto