Iran seizes Israeli-linked container ship (VIDEO) — RT World News
Iranian commandos stormed an Israeli-operated container ship in the Persian Gulf and took control of the vessel. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz condemned the attack “Operation Pirate” The West called for imposing sanctions on Tehran.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps naval forces detained the MSC Aries while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday afternoon. Iranian state media reported that once it was under the control of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, it was transferred to Iranian territorial waters.
Video footage shared online showed Iranian Revolutionary Guard commandos landing on the ship's deck from a helicopter.
The Portuguese-flagged MSC Aries is operated by Zodiac Maritime, a shipping company owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer. At the time of its seizure, the ship was sailing near the UAE port of Fujairah and its transponder was off, the Associated Press reported. With Iran controlling the Strait of Hormuz and Houthi rebels in Yemen attacking Israeli shipping interests in the Red Sea, it is common for ships linked to Israel to disable their tracking data when sailing in the region.
🚨🇮🇷 BREAKING: Footage of Iranian ship seizure The unverified footage shows an Iranian helicopter flying over MSC ARIES near the Strait of Hormuz as IRGC forces lower ropes to seize the ship. Source: The Times of Israel https://t.co/jn5g7XxPYqpic.twitter.com/u8tydgbQ0E
– Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) April 13, 2024
Since 2019, Iran has periodically detained Israeli and Western ships in the Strait of Hormuz during times of heightened tension. Tehran usually provides a legal justification for this confiscation, but it did not provide such an explanation on Saturday.
However, Saturday's seizure came two weeks after an alleged Israeli airstrike on an Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital, Damascus. The raid resulted in the killing of seven officers from the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, including two generals.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pledged to deal with Israel “A slap in the face” In response, US officials warned on Friday that Tehran may be preparing for a massive drone and missile attack on Israeli territory over the weekend. It is unclear whether Iran is planning further attacks after the seizure of the MSC Aries ship.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz condemned the confiscation, accusing Khamenei of this “criminal system” to “Piracy operation in violation of international law.”
He added: “I call on the European Union and the free world to immediately declare the Iranian Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization and impose sanctions on Iran now.” Written on X.
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