According to state media, Iranian special forces seize a cargo vessel in a vital shipping channel

Iranian special forces reportedly seized a container ship near the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial maritime passage to the Persian Gulf, as per the state-run IRNA news agency's report on Saturday.

According to IRNA, Navy special forces from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps utilized a helicopter to board and take control of the container ship, MSC Aries, with the vessel being redirected to Iranian territorial waters.

This action has the potential to heighten tensions in a region already grappling with the conflict in Gaza and a recent strike, suspected to have been orchestrated by Israel, which resulted in the deaths of senior Iranian military officials. Since Hamas’ deadly Oct. 7 terror attack and mass hostage-taking, followed by Israel’s subsequent large-scale offensive in the Gaza Strip, over 33,000 individuals have lost their lives, and 75,000 others have sustained injuries.

According to IRNA, the Portuguese-flagged ship was operated by the Zodiac shipping company, a subsidiary of Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Group. However, Zodiac clarified in a statement that the vessel is managed and operated by the U.K.-based shipping company, MSC. MSC confirmed on Saturday that the MSC Aries had been boarded by Iranian authorities via helicopter. The shipping company also stated that there were 25 crew members on board and that it is collaborating with relevant authorities to ensure their safety.

As of now, Iranian authorities have not released a public statement regarding the incident.