Tehran, Iran – Iranian armed forces have seized a container ship close to the Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions throughout the area after a lethal Israeli assault on Iran’s consulate in Syria.
The ship was commandeered by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the elite power that misplaced seven members, together with two generals, within the Syria strike, Iranian state media reported on Saturday.
“The ship has now been guided towards the territorial waters of our country,” state-run IRNA reported.
The vessel was recognized because the Portugal-flagged MSC Aries, which reportedly departed from a port within the United Arab Emirates en path to India. It’s related to the London-based Zodiac Maritime, part of the Zodiac Group run by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer and his household.
Footage from the deck of the vessel obtained by The Related Press information company on Saturday confirmed troopers rappelling down from a helicopter.
The helicopter seemed to be a Soviet-designed Mil Mi-17, which is operated by the naval forces of the IRGC.
Zodiac Maritime mentioned in a press release that MSC, an Italian-Swiss delivery group, was chargeable for all vessel actions.
MSC confirmed there have been 25 crew members on board the ship, including in a press release that it’s “working closely with the relevant authorities to ensure their wellbeing, and safe return of the vessel”.
The UK Maritime Commerce Operations (UKMTO) had mentioned a vessel was seized by “regional authorities” 50 nautical miles (92km) northeast of the UAE’s Fujairah in a waterway important to world commerce.
One other Israeli-linked container ship was attacked and broken by a drone within the Indian Ocean in late November, which the US blamed on Iran.
Israeli International Minister Israel Katz mentioned in a put up on X that the transfer by Iran was “a pirate operation in violation of international law”.
He known as on the European Union and “the free world to immediately declare” the IRGC a “terrorist organization and to sanction Iran now”.
White Home Nationwide Safety Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson mentioned the ship’s crew comprised of Indian, Filipino, Pakistani, Russian and Estonian nationals, and pushed again towards the vessel’s seizure.
“We call on Iran to release the vessel and its international crew immediately,” she mentioned. “Seizing a civilian vessel without provocation is a blatant violation of international law, and an act of piracy by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.”
Hovering regional tensions
The US army is transferring extra army belongings to the Center East because it anticipates an Iranian response to the Israeli assault on the consulate in Syria.
A US defence official advised Al Jazeera that the transfer is especially aimed toward higher defending US troops within the area, but in addition to ramp up regional deterrence.
US media confirmed the transfer however the Pentagon has not formally mentioned which belongings it’s transferring to the area.
The Wall Avenue Journal quoted unnamed US officers as saying on Friday that it contains repositioning two destroyers, with one of many warships already within the area and one other redirected there.
On Saturday, US President Joe Biden mentioned he was reducing quick his weekend keep in Delaware to return to the White Home early to fulfill together with his nationwide safety crew and monitor the safety scenario forward of a feared Iranian assault on Israel.
On Friday, Biden mentioned he anticipated an Iranian retaliation to come back “sooner than later” and that Washington will proceed to defend Israel.
“Don’t,” he mentioned when requested by reporters if he had a message for Iran.
Because the begin of the battle on Gaza after the Hamas-led October 7 assaults in Israel, the US has despatched hundreds of bombs and ammunition to its ally Israel regardless of rising worldwide criticism, together with transferring warships and troops to the area.
John Kirby, the White Home’s nationwide safety spokesman, mentioned on Friday that Iran’s threats to retaliate towards Israel stay “real” and viable”.
Normal Erik Kurilla, the top of US Central Command within the area, arrived in Israel on Friday to debate a possible Iranian assault and met with prime officers, together with Israeli army chief of employees Herzi Halevi.
Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari mentioned that “Iran funds, trains, and arms terror proxies across the Middle East and beyond”, including that the Islamic republic doesn’t simply threaten the folks of Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria”, however “fuels the war in Ukraine and beyond”.
He mentioned that Israel was on “high alert” and was “prepared to respond” to what he known as “any Iranian aggression”.