Iran Seizes Ship Off UAE Coast: Israeli Army Warns Of Consequences

New Delhi: Iran will suffer the “consequences” of escalating the conflict in the region, Israel’s army warned on Saturday after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards seized a container ship “related to the Zionist regime (Israel) in the Gulf,” state media reported, as tensions soar in the region.

“Iran will bear the consequences for choosing to escalate the situation any further,” military spokesman Daniel Hagari said in a statement, news agency AFP reported.

“A container ship named ‘MCS Aries’ was seized by the Sepah (Guards) Navy Special Forces by carrying out a heliborne operation,” IRNA state news agency reported.

It added that the operation took place “near the Strait of Hormuz”, a waterway vital to world trade, and “this ship has now been directed towards the territorial waters” of Iran. The Iranian report came after two maritime security agencies said “regional authorities” had seized a vessel off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

“Vessel reported to have been seized by regional authorities” off the coast of Fujairah, the Royal Navy’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said, without providing further details. Security firm Ambrey said it “observed still footage of at least three individuals fast-roping from a helicopter onto what appeared to be a container ship”.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards “have previously used this method of boarding while seizing vessels in the Strait of Hormuz”, Ambrey added.

The United States on Friday said it was sending military reinforcements to the region, after Iran vowed retaliation for a deadly strike on the consular section of its Damascus embassy in Syria almost two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, United States President Joe Biden on Friday said he expected Iran to strike arch-foe Israel, which Tehran blamed for the consular attack, “sooner rather than later”.

The April 1 strike killed at least seven members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, including two generals.