Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Seizes Israeli-Linked Ship with 25 Crew Near Strait of Hormuz
Commandos from Iran’s paramilitary IRGC rappelled down from a helicopter onto an Israeli-affiliated container ship near the Strait of Hormuz and seized the vessel on Saturday, April 13.
Iran’s state-run media said a special forces unit of the Guard’s navy attacked the vessel, the Portuguese-flagged MSC Aries, a container ship associated with London-based Zodiac Maritime. Zodiac Maritime is part of Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Group.
A video first reported by American media showed commandos raiding the ship near the key waterway by helicopter. Zodiac declined to comment and referred questions to MSC. Geneva-based MSC later acknowledged the seizure and said 25 crew had been aboard the vessel.
The Iranian state media said the Guard would take the vessel into Iranian territorial waters. The MSC Aries had been last located off Dubai heading toward the Strait of Hormuz on Friday. The ship had turned off its tracking data, which has been common for Israeli-affiliated ships moving through the region.
After the incident, Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz called on nations to list the Guard as a terrorist organization. (TOI / VFI News)