DUBAI (Reuters) – Iran’s Revolutionary Guards seized an Israel-linked cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, Iranian state news agency IRNA reported, days after Tehran warned it might close the area to shipping traffic .
IRNA reported that a Guard helicopter had boarded and flown the Portuguese-flagged MSC Aries into Iranian waters.
Maritime security agencies had previously reported that a vessel had been boarded and seized by “regional authorities” in the Strait of Hormuz, between the United Arab Emirates and Iran.
The Aries is chartered by international shipping company MSC from Gortal Shipping, an affiliate of Zodiac Maritime, Zodiac said in a statement, adding that MSC is responsible for all activities of the vessel. Zodiac is partly owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer.
The incident comes amid rising regional tensions since the start of Israel’s Gaza campaign in October, with Israel and its ally the United States repeatedly clashing with Iran-aligned groups in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
Iran has threatened retaliation for alleged Israeli airstrikes on its consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus on April 1 that killed seven Revolutionary Guards officers, including two senior commanders.
US President Joe Biden said on Friday he expects Iran to attack Israel “sooner rather than later” and warned Tehran not to proceed.
Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that “Iran will suffer consequences for choosing to further escalate this situation,” in response to reports of the seizure of the MSC Aries.
The Revolutionary Guards’ naval chief, Alireza Tangsiri, said on Tuesday he could close the Strait of Hormuz if deemed necessary.
He said Iran views Israel’s presence in the United Arab Emirates, with which Israel established diplomatic relations in 2020 as part of the U.S.-brokered “Abraham Accords,” as a threat.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group has disrupted global trade for months with attacks on ships in the Red Sea, saying it is targeting Israel-linked ships in retaliation for Israel’s campaign in Gaza.
The United States and Britain carried out strikes against Houthi targets in response to attacks on ships.
The Joint Maritime Information Center, run by a Western-led naval coalition, said ships planning to navigate the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy routes, should exercise caution and not delay.