In normal times – whatever those are – UK assistance in an operation like this probably wouldn’t be seen as too much of a big deal.
The UK and US are close military allies.
The tanker in question has links back to Russia, Iran and Venezuela – and is sanctioned by the US.
Tackling the so-called “shadow fleet” of vessels attempting to avoid restrictions has been a priority for the UK.
What gives events of today more bite is the geo-political climate they are set against.
Of course, there are the ongoing tensions between Russia and the West and the risk of the Ukraine conflict spilling out into other parts of the world.
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But the friction being generated by President Trump’s recent escapades may also cause some in Westminster to worry about UK military involvement.
If we’re helping here, might requests come in for assistance in more controversial operations?
One of the very first comments from Downing Street after the Caracas raid was to explicitly state that the UK was not involved in any way.
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There’s a tightrope to walk here.
Sir Keir Starmer may not say it out loud, but events in Venezuela will not sit comfortably with the ex-human rights barrister running the UK government.
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Threats towards Greenland certainly don’t sit well, and the prime minister has put that into words.
But we still need the US – its military might and its economic might.
So, when the White House says ‘jump’, it’s still a fair bet that Downing Street will ask ‘how high?’
