17 Indians aboard Israeli vessel seized by Iran

“We have been assured that the ₹66,800 paid by us for flight tickets and other charges will not be lost, that the delay is temporary, but I am very worried,” he added, explaining that he had taken a loan from a relative to pay for all the expenses ahead of the trip.

The vessel is owned by Londonheadquartered Zodiac Maritime, which is owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer, and has been chartered to the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), which is headquartered in Switzerland.

Israel Katz, Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, said on ◣ that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard corps had seized a Portuguese civilian cargo ship, belonging to a member of the European Union, and claiming Israeli ownership. Calling it a “pirate operation” in violation of international law, he added, “I call on the European Union and the free world to immediately declare the Iranian Revolutionary Guards corps as a terrorist organization and to sanction Iran now.”

U.S. Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin held a telephonic conversation with Israeli Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant to discuss “urgent regional threats” and “reiterated unwavering U.S. support for Israel’s defence”.

Adrienne Watson, Spokesperson of the U.S. White House National Security Council, condemned the seizure by Iran, terming it a blatant violation of international law.

Against the backdrop of the Houthi attacks, Somali pirates have also become increasingly active, with a string of piracy attempts in the Gulf of Aden and the Horn of Africa. In response, the Indian Navy has deployed in strength and thwarted several piracy attempts. From December 2023, this has involved the deployment of over 5,000 Naval personnel at sea, over 450 ship days, in more than 21 ships, and 900 hours of flying by maritime surveillance aircraft to address threats in the maritime domain, Navy Chief Adm. R. Hari Kumar had said on March 23, as Operation Sankalp completed 100 days.