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| Strait of Hormuz |
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps seized an Israeli-linked container ship near the Strait of Hormuz in the latest escalation of the simmering standoff between the two countries.
An unverified video of the incident first obtained by the Associated Press showed IRGC commandos rappelling onto the MSC Aries vessel, the Times of Israel reported.
“Don’t come out,” a crew member on the ship can be heard saying in the footage, which was also posted on X by Times of Israel reporter Mannie Fabian.
The crew member can then be heard telling another to head to the ship’s bridge, as more IRGC commanders were rappelling onto the desk.
One commando is seen kneeling over the others to protect them from potential cover fire, the Times of Israel reported.
The seized ship is a Portuguese-flagged vessel affiliated with Zodiac Maritime, a London-based outfit of Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Group, the outlet explained.
Portuguese authorities are in contact with Iran about the seizure, Portugal’s government told CNN.
None of the sailors are believed to be Portuguese, the outlet said.
There are believed to be about 25 crew on board, CNN added, citing the Mediterranean Shipping Company.
The MSC Aries was last located off Dubai and headed for the Strait of Hormuz on Friday.
The ship then turned off its tracking data, which is common practice for Israeli-affiliated vessels in the region, the Times of Israel reported.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations had earlier reported a ship seizure near the Strait of Hormuz, but could only confirm that “regional authorities” were responsible, CNN said.
Iran’s Tasnim and IRNA state news agencies both appeared to confirm that the IRGC was involved in the incident, the Times of Israel and CNN reported, respectively.
The IRGC has directed the ship “back to Iranian territorial waters,” according to IRNA.
“The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps have seized a Portuguese civilian cargo ship, belonging to an EU member, claiming Israeli ownership,” Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Israel Katz wrote on X Saturday.
“The Ayatollah regime of…is a criminal regime that supports Hamas’ crimes and is now conducting a pirate operation in violation of international law,” he added.
Katz demanded that the European Union and the “free world” declare the IRGC a “terrorist organization” and impose sanctions on Iran.
Israel is currently on high alert for a direct attack from Tehran, which is expected to avenge an April 1 strike that killed seven Iranian military officers “sooner than later,” according to US officials.
Any direct conflict between Israel and Iran threatens to turn Israel’s war against Tehran-backed Hamas in the Gaza Strip into a region-wide conflict.
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