Iranian paratroopers seize ship and 25 crew

Commandos from Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard yesterday dropped from a helicopter onto an Israeli-affiliated container ship near the Strait of Hormuz and seized the vessel.

It followed the April 1 missile strike by Israel on an Iranian consular building in Syria that killed 12 people, including a senior Revolutionary Guard general Mohammad Reza Zahedi.

Iranian state-run news agency IRNA claimed a special forces unit carried out the attack on the Portuguese-flagged MSC Aries, a container ship associated with London-based Zodiac Maritime.

Zodiac Maritime is part of Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Group. MSC acknowledged the seizure and said 25 crew members were on the ship.

“We are working closely with the relevant authorities to ensure their wellbeing, and the safe return of the vessel,” MSC said.

An Indian government official said 17 of the crew were Indians.

IRNA said the vessel would be taken into Iranian territorial waters.

Video of the attack has emerged in which Iranian commandos are seen clambering down to the vessel’s deck.

Crew members are told: “Don’t come out.” One commando then tells his colleagues to go to the ship’s bridge. One can be seen kneeling above the others to provide them with potential cover fire. They appeared to be using a Soviet-era Mil Mi-17 helicopter, which both the Revolutionary Guard and the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen have used to raid ships.

Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz called on nations to list the Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organisation.

Iran “is a criminal regime that supports Hamas’ crimes and is now conducting a pirate operation in violation of international law,” said the Israeli minister.

Iranian officials have for days threatened to “slap” Israel for the Syria strike.

Since 2019, Iran has engaged in a series of seizures, and attacks on vessels have been attributed to it amid ongoing tensions with the West over its rapidly advancing nuclear programme.

On Friday, US president Joe Biden warned Iran not to attack Israel. “We will help defend Israel, and Iran will not succeed,” he added.