Tensions rise in West Asia amid fears of Iranian attack
Commandos from Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard rappelled down from a helicopter onto an Israeli-affiliated container ship near the Strait of Hormuz and seized the vessel Saturday, the latest in a series of attacks between the two countries as western intelligence assessments warned of a direct and unprecedented attack by Iran on Israeli government targets as soon as Sunday, a move that has the potential to trigger an all-out regional war.
An assault from Iranian soil has emerged as one of the main scenarios expected by the Jewish state and its allies, said the people, who asked not to be identified as they aren’t authorised to discuss the matter publicly. A bombardment with drones and precision missiles could come within the next 48 hours, they said, Bloomberg reported on Saturday.
On Saturday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized an Israel-linked container ship near the Strait of Hormuz between the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman on Saturday, the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported.
IRGC special forces boarded the MSC Aries from a helicopter and directed it toward Iranian territorial waters, the Islamic Republic News Agency said, without giving a reason for the seizure.
The seizure comes as Israel braces for a response to the suspected Israeli attack on Iran’s embassy in Syria on April 1. Potential scenarios included an unprecedented drone and missile strike on Israeli territory as early as this week, Bloomberg reported. Tehran signalled to western countries that it would retaliate to strike on its embassy in Syria in a “calibrated” manner to avoid an all-out regional conflict, the Financial Times reported on Friday.
The MSC Aries’ beneficial owner is Zodiac Maritime Ltd., part of Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Group, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. A representative for Zodiac directed queries about the vessel to operator MSC, which didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
“I don’t want to get into secure information but my expectation is sooner rather than later,” President Joe Biden said on Friday in response to a question about whether an Iranian strike was imminent. Asked what message he’d give to Iran, Biden responded, “Don’t.”
“We are devoted to the defence of Israel,” Biden said. “We will support Israel, we will defend, help defend, Israel and Iran will not succeed.”
Oil jumped to the highest level since October on the news, rallying as much as 2.6% to top $92 a barrel. Futures have surged 19% this year with the war adding risk premium to the market.
The US is preparing defences and moved additional military assets to the region, while intensifying diplomatic efforts to rein in hostilities, the people said. Among the US forces in West Asia are two Navy destroyers that moved to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea last week, according to a Navy official who asked not to be identified discussing military movements. One is the USS Carney, which was recently in the Red Sea performing air defense against Houthi drones and antiship missiles.
US officials including Jake Sullivan and Brett McGurk have been working to send messages to Iran, including through an established Swiss channel, one of the people said, while talking to Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other governments.
The intelligence assessment is that the attack still hasn’t been approved by Tehran’s highestranking officials, according to the people. An Iranian missile and drone barrage would represent a