Iranian special forces seize ship in Strait of Hormuz, state media reports

Navy special forces from the Islamic Groundbreaking Guard Corps utilised a helicopter to board and seize a container ship in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz, the point out-run IRNA information agency noted. It added that the MSC Aries was remaining transferred to Iranian territorial waters. 

Video clip on the state-owned news community, Press Tv set, showed what it claimed have been people employing a rope to fall on to the ship. NBC Information could not independently validate the footage.  

IRNA said that the Portuguese-flagged ship was operated by the Zodiac delivery corporation, which it linked to an Israeli businessman. Zodiac claimed in a assertion that the ship is managed and operated by the U.K.-centered delivery company, MSC.

Iranian authorities did not right away difficulty a community assertion on the incident.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency reported on X that the vessel had been seized 50 nautical miles northeast of the Fujairah, an space near to the Strait of Hormuz that types the entrance to the Persian Gulf.

When asked by NBC News, the Israeli federal government reported it had no comment on the ship’s seizure.

In a individual assertion on Saturday, Israeli navy spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari reported that Iran would “bear the effects for deciding on to escalate the scenario any more.”

“Israel is on substantial notify. We have elevated our readiness to defend Israel from further Iranian aggression. We are also well prepared to reply,” he explained.

The assault arrives right after a strike, suspected to have been carried out by Israel, on the Iranian consular creating in Syria’s money, Damascus earlier this thirty day period. Israel did not just take accountability for that strike, but Tehran vowed revenge.

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said at a prayer ceremony celebrating the finish of the Muslim holy thirty day period of Ramadan on Wednesday April 10 that Israel “must be punished, and it will be punished.” Considering that the building wrecked was a consular building, he reported, it amounted to an assault on Iranian soil.

The United States has signaled its help for Israel and worked to persuade Iran to quit shorter of a substantial escalation. Though increasingly crucial of the way Israel was pursuing the war in Gaza, President Joe Biden has pledged that America’s “commitment to Israel’s protection towards these threats from Iran and its proxies is iron-clad.” 

Tensions in the area have been at boiling level considering that Hamas’ Oct. 7 fatal terror assault and mass hostage taking and Israel’s subsequent fullscale assault on the Gaza Strip, which resulted in the fatalities of additional than 33,000 and pushed the populace to the brink of hunger.