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On Saturday, Iranian forces took control of a ship that is partially owned by Israel in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a security source in the Middle East who spoke to the Associated Press. The ship, named MSC ARIES, was boarded by Iranian commandos who descended from a helicopter.
The ship, which was sailing under a Portuguese flag, did not have any Israelis on board. Instead, it reportedly had a Filipino crew, as per the Saudi channel Al-Hadath. The ship is partially owned by Zodiac Maritime, which is part of the Zodiac Group owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer.
Zodiac Maritime, owned by Ofer, clarified: "The MSC company is the manager and commercial operator of the ship. MSC is responsible for all ship operations including cargo operation and maintenance. Gortal Shipping Inc leases the ship to MSC for a long term. Gortal Shipping Inc is affiliated with Zodiac Maritime. MSC is also responsible for the ship's route, schedule, and the crew on the ship."
Video footage obtained by AP shows the Iranian forces descending onto the ship's containers. A crew member on the ship can be heard saying, "Don't go outside," while another crew member instructs his colleagues to go to the ship's bridge. The footage also shows one of the Iranian commandos kneeling, presumably to provide cover.
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Iranian forces taking over the vessel
(Video: AP )
This incident occurs amidst increasing tensions, as Tehran has threatened to retaliate for the killing of seven Revolutionary Guards, including Hassan Mahdawi, the commander of the Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon, in a building near the Iranian embassy in Damascus.
According to recent reports, the United States has pledged to aid Israel by attempting to intercept any missile attacks directed toward it, if feasible. This information was shared by two American sources who also revealed that the U.S. has urged Israel to avoid escalating the situation further in response to potential Iranian aggression.
This commitment of support from President Biden comes amidst reports that the U.S. military is bolstering its presence in the region. It has been reported that the U.S. military has relocated warships and additional forces to the Middle East in anticipation of a potential Iranian attack. Two destroyers have been moved to the region, one of which was already stationed there and the other has been redirected.