Iranian special forces have been accused of seizing a commercial ship with ties to Israel as it passed through the Strait of Hormuz. The MSC Aries, which is linked to Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer, was boarded by Iranian troops about 50 miles off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.
Footage obtained by the AP news agency showed troops rappelling onto the vessel from a helicopter, in what appeared to be a well-coordinated operation. The Portuguese-flagged ship had last been tracked off the coast of the UAE, heading towards the Strait of Hormuz before turning off its tracking data, a common practice for Israeli-affiliated ships in the region.
While the UK’s Maritime Trade Operations agency confirmed the boarding, making no mention of Iranian involvement, Iranian media quickly highlighted the country’s naval branch of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as the responsible party. IRNA, Iran’s state news agency, reported that the ship was being transported to Iranian waters due to its connection to Israel.
The attack on the MSC Aries comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and Israel, following an airstrike that destroyed Iran’s consulate in Damascus earlier in April. Iran has vowed to strike back at Israel, which it blames for the attack, while US officials have warned of a potential Iranian attack on Israel in the near future.
President Joe Biden has reiterated the US commitment to defending Israel, stating that Iran will not succeed in its attempts to escalate the situation any further. Israel’s military spokesperson also warned that Iran would face consequences for its actions.
