Iranian Revolutionary Guard commandos boarded an Israeli-affiliated container ship Saturday, prompting responses from defense leaders in the United States and Israel.
The MSC Aries vessel, owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Group, had been last located off Dubai, heading toward the Strait of Hormuz on Friday. By Saturday, the guard’s navy rappelled down onto MSC Aries via a helicopter over the boat. This move on the part of the Guards to move the ship into Iranian waters was received with condemnation.
“We strongly condemn the Iranian seizure of the Portuguese flagged, British-owned MSC AIRES in international waters. The crew is comprised of Indian, Filipino, Pakistani, Russian & Estonian nationals. We call on Iran to release the vessel & its international crew immediately,” White House National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson wrote on X. “Seizing a civilian vessel without provocation is a blatant violation of international law, and an act of piracy by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.”
“It must be condemned unequivocally, & we will work with our partners to hold Iran to account for its actions,” Watson went on.
National security adviser Jake Sullivan said he spoke to his Israeli equivalent to express “the United States’ ironclad commitment to the security of Israel.”
Israel Defense Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari issued a video warning to Iran on X.
“Iran will bear the consequences for choosing to escalate the situation any further,” Hagari said. “Israel is on high alert. We have increased our readiness to protect Israel from further Iranian aggression. We are also prepared to respond. The Israel Defense Forces prepared for all scenarios, and we will take the necessary steps together with our allies to protect the people of Israel.”
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Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz immediately called on nations to list the IRGC as a terrorist organization following the incident.
While President Joe Biden had initially intended to spend the weekend in Delaware, Biden has since returned to the White House Saturday to discuss the growing tensions in the region with his national security team.