On Saturday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards detained an Israeli-linked cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, days after Tehran threatened to restrict the vital maritime route and warned of retaliation for an Israeli strike on its Syria embassy.
Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency stated that a Guards helicopter boarded and escorted the Portuguese-flagged MSC Aries into Iranian waters, claiming it was tied to Israel.
MSC, which operates the Aries, confirmed Iran had seized the ship and said it was working “with the relevant authorities” for its safe return and the well-being of its 25 crew members.
MSC leases the Aries from Gortal Shipping, an affiliate of Zodiac Maritime, Zodiac said in a statement, adding that MSC is responsible for all the vessel’s activities. Zodiac is partly owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer.
Video on Iranian news channels purporting to show the seizure included a figure abseiling from a helicopter on to a ship. Reuters was able to verify that the ship in the video was the MSC Aries but not the date it was recorded.
The incident occurred amid escalating regional tensions since the beginning of Israel’s assault on Gaza in October, with Israel and its partner the United States contending with Iranian-aligned organizations in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.
Iran has promised retaliation for suspected Israeli attacks on its consulate in Syria’s capital Damascus on April 1, which killed seven Revolutionary Guards members, including two senior commanders.
On Friday, US President Joe Biden said he expected Iran to attack Israel “sooner, rather than later” and cautioned Tehran not to do so.
In response to rumors of the detention of MSC Aries, Israel’s military spokeswoman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, stated that “Iran will bear consequences for choosing to escalate this situation any further”.
Alireza Tangsiri, the Revolutionary Guards’ navy commander, stated on Tuesday that the Strait of Hormuz, which connects Iran and the United Arab Emirates, might be closed if required.
According to the commander, Iran considers Israel’s presence in the UAE a threat. Israel established diplomatic relations with the UAE in 2020 as part of the “Abraham Accords” brokered by the US.