Iranian special forces intercepted and boarded the MSC Aries, a commercial vessel with ties to Israel, while it traversed the Strait of Hormuz early Saturday morning. The incident occurred approximately 50 miles off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, according to a statement released by the vessel’s operator, MSC.
Video footage obtained by Reuters depicted troops descending onto the ship via helicopter. The Portuguese-flagged MSC Aries is associated with Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer.
This event unfolds amidst heightened tensions following an airstrike that targeted Iran’s consulate in Damascus earlier in April. Israel warned Iran of repercussions should the situation escalate further.
Tracking data showed the MSC Aries nearing the Strait of Hormuz before its tracking signal was deactivated—a common practice for Israeli-affiliated ships in the region.
While the UK’s Maritime Trade Operations agency confirmed the ship’s seizure, it refrained from implicating Iran, referring to “regional authorities” instead.
However, Iranian media proudly highlighted the involvement of the country’s special forces. According to Iran’s state news agency, Irna, the naval branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) commandeered the MSC Aries, citing its connection to Israel.
Footage revealed troops rappelling onto the vessel, with commands instructing crew members not to emerge. The ship, managed by MSC and leased from Gortal Shipping Inc., affiliated with Mr. Ofer’s Zodiac Maritime, had 25 crew members onboard during the seizure.
Officials in Tehran have yet to issue a statement regarding the incident.
In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz urged the European Union to designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps as a terrorist organization and to impose sanctions on Iran. He made the appeal on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, underlining the ship’s affiliation with an EU member.
