Maritime special forces of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, the ideological army of the Islamic Republic, seized a container ship ” related “ to Israel in the Gulfannounced the official IRNA agency, Saturday April 13. This seizure took place during “an operation carried out with a helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz”said IRNA, specifying that the ship “flying the Portuguese flag and managed by the Zodiac company, which is owned by the Zionist capitalist Eyal Ofer”was being “directed towards territorial waters” Iranians. “There are 25 crew members on board”communicated Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), which charters the ship, to Agence France-Presse.
British security company Ambrey added that the Revolutionary Guards “had previously used this method of boarding when seizing ships in the Strait of Hormuz”the sole crossing point for exports from several major producers in the Middle East.
Iran “will suffer the consequences of his choice to further aggravate the situation”, warned the Israeli armywhile the country is on alert in the face of threats of reprisals from Tehran, an ally of Hamas. “We have strengthened our preparation to protect Israel from further Iranian aggression. We are also ready to respond”added Daniel Hagari, spokesperson for the Israeli army.
Before the Iranian claim, the United Kingdom Maritime Trading Authority (UKMTO) had written that the seizure of the ship by “regional authorities” took place 50 nautical miles (92 kilometers) northeast of Foujeyra, in the United Arab Emirates.
A video communicated by a Middle Eastern defense official taken up by IRNA and consulted by the Associated Press (AP) – which could not authenticate it – shows commandos rappelling down onto a pile of containers placed on the deck of the ship . This document matches the known details of the boarding, and the helicopter used appears to be that of the Revolutionary Guards.
Increased tensions
Contacted by AP, Zodiac declined to comment and referred questions to MSC, which did not immediately respond. The MSC Aries was last located off the coast of Dubai on Friday, heading towards the Strait of Hormuz. The ship had its tracking data disabled, which is common for Israeli-affiliated vessels passing through the region.
This incident comes against a backdrop of increased tensions between Iran and the West, particularly after an attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on 1er April, which Iran attributes to the Jewish state.
The Houthis, supported by Iran, have been attacking ships in the Red Sea for months, thus affirming their support for Hamas engaged in the war in Gaza. The commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy said on Tuesday that Israel’s presence in the United Arab Emirates was considered a threat by Tehran and that it could close the Strait of Hormuz – at the entrance to the Gulf – if deemed necessary. Foujeyra is located on the eastern shore of the Strait of Hormuz.
Houthi attacks in the Red Sea are disrupting global shipping, forcing companies to choose longer and more expensive journeys bypassing southern Africa. They also fuel fears of an extension of the war between Israel and Hamas throughout the Middle East. The United States and the United Kingdom carried out strikes against Houthi targets in response to the attacks on the ships.