Iranian paramilitary troops seize Portuguese ship with Israeli ties as tensions remain high

Iran’s paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) troops seized a Portuguese-flagged vessel owned by an Israeli billionaire arsenic tensions betwixt nan 2 nations stay astatine a precocious amid continued threats of attack. 

"UKMTO has received a study of an incident … northeast of Fujairah, UAE," nan United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported. "Vessel reported to person been seized by location authorities. Vessels are advised to transit pinch be aware and study immoderate suspicious activity to UKMTO." 

The MSC Aries, a Portuguese-flagged vessel owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Group, was passing done nan Strait of Hormuz erstwhile an Iranian chopper dropped IRGC troops onto its deck. Video taken by a unit personnel shows nan troops rappelling down onto a stack of containers while nan unit personnel tells his colleagues "Don’t travel out." 

He past tells nan different unit members to spell to nan ship’s span while nan IRGC commandos group up to return nan ship, pinch 1 unit kneeling connected apical of nan containers to supply imaginable screen occurrence if those connected nan vessel tried to defy arsenic much troops descend to nan deck. 

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The Associated Press suggested nan chopper could beryllium a Soviet-era Mil Mi-17 helicopter, which some nan IRGC and Iran-backed Houthis person used to ambush ships crossed nan Red Sea, Sea of Oman and Persian Gulf. 

Video shows Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps  (The Associated Press)

Geneva-based MSC reported that nan vessel had 25 unit members aboard, and nan Iranian state-run IRNA said nan IRGC was taking nan alloy into Iranian territorial waters. 

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The seizure follows a week of accrued tensions betwixt Iran and Israel. Tehran has many times sworn to return revenge for nan onslaught connected an Iranian consulate successful Damascus, which galore – including nan United States – attributed to Israel moreover though nary Israeli charismatic took in installments for nan attack. 

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) subject unit are stepping on Enghelab (Revolution) Avenue arsenic an Iranian Kheibar Surface-to-Surface rocket is being unveiled during nan Ela Beit Al-Moghaddas (Al-Aqsa Mosque) subject rally successful Tehran, Iran, connected November 24, 2023. The IRGC is unveiling 2 caller missiles during nan rally.  (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

President Biden connected Friday said he believed Iran’s consequence could hap "sooner than later," and nan U.S. moved immoderate assets person to Israel to hole for nan anticipation of an Iranian onslaught complete nan weekend. U.S. CENTCOM commandant Gen. Michael Kurilla besides moved up his travel to Israel successful nan look of accrued Iranian threats complete nan past week. 

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The IRGC has antecedently tried to exert power complete nan Persian Gulf. In 2020, a number of smaller Guard boats harassed American naval ships, utilizing their ain ships to effort and thrust nan American ones retired of nan Gulf.  

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi (R) addressed while opinionated adjacent to commander-in-chief of nan Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Hossein Salami (L), and Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff for nan Armed Forces of nan Islamic Republic of Iran, during a subject parade marking Iran's Army Day day adjacent nan Imam Khomeini shrine successful nan southbound of Tehran, April 18, 2023. Raisi said, we will destruct Haifa and Tel Aviv if Israel takes ''the slightest action'' against Iran. (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The IRGC besides seized a number of ships successful nan Gulf, including nan 2020 taking of a Hong Kong-flagged lipid tanker, besides adjacent nan Strait of Hormuz, which is nan pinch constituent betwixt nan Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman. That vessel was later released, Radio Free Europe reported. 

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Iran eased disconnected its maritime activities arsenic nan Yemen-based Houthis ramped up their ain raids connected ships passim nan Red Sea, claiming nan ships had ties to Israel and helped support Israel’s operations successful nan Gaza Strip. 

Iranian officials usually provided immoderate mentation for seizing a vessel, but truthful acold person offered thing regarding nan MSC Aries different than to statement its links to Israel, The Associated Press reported.