Iran seizes Israel-linked container vessel
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The Revolutionary Guards of Iran, who are part of the country's special forces, have taken control of a container vessel that is connected to Israel. This is the most recent development in the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel.
The MSC Aries was taken over while Tehran had been promising to react to a probable Israeli airstrike on Iran's consular building in Damascus. Seven guards members, including two high-ranking commanders, had lost their lives in the attack.
A clip that has been posted on the internet displayed two guard officers descending from a chopper with ropes onto the platform of a 366-meter colossal freight vessel in the Gulf of Oman.
The big ship is run by Mediterranean Shipping Company, which is based in Geneva and is the largest company that transports containers. The ship belongs to Gortal Shipping, which is a finance firm connected to Zodiac Maritime, a business that the Ofer family from Israel has control over.
The foreign minister of Israel, Israel Katz, blamed Iran for carrying out a "piracy operation".
According to IRNA, the naval forces of Iran's guards managed to seize the vessel by boarding it with the aid of a helicopter.
The confiscation occurred in the Gulf of Oman, near the highly important bottleneck of the Strait of Hormuz. This area is a crucial pathway for international maritime trading, where a significant portion of global crude oil transports through.
Leaders in Iran have accused Israel of being responsible for the attack on their diplomatic mission on April 1st, and have equated the attack to a direct strike against the country. Many people are worried that this attack could escalate into a larger regional conflict.
The conflict in the area has escalated following Hamas's assault on Israel on October 7 that resulted in the death of 1,200 individuals, as stated by Israeli authorities. This occurrence set off the Gaza war.
Militants, who are supported by Iran, have used drones, rockets, and missiles to attack both US troops and Israel. In response, Israeli forces have launched an offensive against Hamas in Gaza. Sadly, this has resulted in the deaths of over 33,000 people, according to Palestinian officials.
Iran has attempted to steer clear of engaging in a face-to-face altercation with Israel and the US, and has indicated that its reaction to the attack on its consular building on April 1 will be measured.
In times of increased tension with the US and other western nations, Iranian military has taken control of tankers on previous occasions.
The taking of MSC Aires has occurred in Iranian waters, marking the first instance since January when Iranian military forces captured St Nikolas, which is a Greek-owned oil tanker situated in a comparable location.
MSC announced that the ship had been taken into custody by the "Iranian government."
The vessel provided transportation for MSC, traveling from Khalifa port in the United Arab Emirates to Mumbai's Nhava Sheva port.
The company stated that the ship has been redirected from its planned route and is now heading towards Iran. There are currently 25 people working on the ship. MSC is closely cooperating with authorities to make sure that the wellbeing of the crew members is maintained and that the ship returns safely.
As per the Maritime Trade Operations office of the UK located in Dubai, regional authorities have taken custody of the vessel.
Ambrey, a maritime intelligence organization from the United Kingdom, reported that Zodiac had faced "hostile actions from Iran" due to its connection with Israel in the past.
Ambrey suggested that shipping owned by Israeli individuals should think again before crossing the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial passage for oil tankers, including the MSC Aries that was captured. This route is responsible for transporting oil from various Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia, to other regions across the globe. Additionally, the Strait is a significant pathway for container ships traveling between Khalifa and Jebel Ali, which is a massive container port situated in Dubai.
Container ships haven't been sailing through Yemen's waters much lately due to ongoing attacks from the Iranian-backed Houthis. These attacks targeted ships connected to Israel, the UK, and the US. The Houthis claim their actions are in support of the Palestinians in Gaza. However, the possibility of attacks in the Strait of Hormuz has not been as much of a concern until recently.
The Automatic Identification System of the MSC Aries stopped sending out signals not long after the ship departed from Khalifa. Whenever Iran took control of ships in the past, such as the St. Nikolas, they usually brought them to the port of Bandar Abbas.
