In a dramatic turn of events in the Gulf, a vessel has been seized by “regional authorities” between the United Arab Emirates and Iran, maritime security agencies revealed on Saturday.
This development comes just days after Iran issued warnings of potentially closing the area to sea traffic, raising concerns about escalating tensions in the region.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) disclosed that the vessel was seized approximately 50 nautical miles (92 km) northeast of Fujairah, a critical area near the Strait of Hormuz, which serves as the gateway to the Gulf. Coinciding with this report, a British maritime security firm, Ambrey, also confirmed an incident of “boarding” at the same location, although specific details were not provided.
According to marine tracking sites, the vessel in question is the MSC Aries of Zodiac Maritime, an international shipping company partially owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer. While a US defense official acknowledged the situation reported by UKMTO and stated that they were monitoring it closely, they refrained from confirming or denying the identity of the seized vessel when queried about its potential connection to the MSC Aries.
Reportedly, tensions in the region have been on the rise, especially since the naval head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Alireza Tangsiri, recently issued statements suggesting the possibility of closing the Strait of Hormuz if deemed necessary. Tangsiri cited Iran’s concerns over Israel’s presence in the UAE, which was established following the 2020 ‘Abraham Accords’ mediated by the United States.
The situation has been further exacerbated by recent events, including Israel’s military actions in Gaza in October, as well as suspected Israeli airstrikes on Iran’s consulate in Syria’s capital Damascus earlier this month, resulting in casualties among Revolutionary Guards officers. US President Joe Biden expressed concerns on Friday, anticipating potential attacks by Iran on Israel and cautioning Tehran against such actions.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthi group has been actively disrupting global trade by targeting shipping in the Red Sea for months, citing retaliation against Israel-linked vessels in response to Israel’s operations in Gaza. In response to these attacks, the United States and Britain have conducted strikes against Houthi targets, further complicating the volatile situation in the region.
As tensions continue to simmer, the international community remains on edge, closely monitoring developments and hoping for diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation before it spirals out of control.
