Tel Aviv has warned Iran of the consequences of any escalation in the region, following the seizure by a Pasdaran commando of a ship linked to Israel.
Iranian Revolutionary Guards took control of the Portuguese ship MSC ARIES in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday. The ship is currently sailing in the Persian Gulf, according to ship-tracking website Marine Traffic cited by the Jerusalem Post. There were 25 Filipinos on board.
A video seen by the Associated Press shows commandos attacking a ship near the Strait of Hormuz by helicopter, an attack that a Middle East defense official attributes to Iran amid wider tensions between Tehran and the West.
The MSC Aries was last located off Dubai, heading for the Strait of Hormuz, on Friday. The ship had deactivated its tracking data, which is common for Israeli-affiliated ships moving in the region.
The video—not published by the news agency—showed the attack reported earlier by the British Army’s Commercial Marine Operations. It described the ship as having been “seized by regional authorities” in the Gulf of Oman off the Emirati port city of Fujairah, without further details.
The Portuguese-flagged MSC Aries is a container ship associated with London-based Zodiac Maritime. Zodiac Maritime is part of the Zodiac Group owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer.
Iran confirmed the seizure. “A container ship named ‘MSC Aries’ was seized by the Sepah (Guards) Navy Special Forces by carrying out a heliborne operation,” IRNA state news agency reported, adding that the operation took place “near the Strait of Hormuz” and “this ship has now been directed towards the territorial waters” of Iran.
According to Al Hadath’s sources, Iran chose to respond to the killing of the Quds Force commander in Syria and Lebanon by hijacking the Portuguese ship.
The Israeli army warned on Saturday that Iran will suffer the “consequences” of escalating the conflict in the region, after Iran announced it had seized the ship.
“Iran will bear the consequences for choosing to escalate the situation any further,” army spokesperson Daniel Hagari said in a statement.
Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Israel Katz accused Iran of committing piracy, and called for sanctions against the country.
With AFP
