Iranian troops seize commercial vessel linked to Israel

New Delhi, Apr 13:  Iran troops allegedly seized a commercial vessel linked to Israel in the early hours of Saturday morning as it traversed the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian special forces reportedly boarded the MSC Aries approximately 50 miles off the coast. The Portuguese-flagged vessel belongs to an Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer. According to a media report, there are more than a dozen Indian sailors on the ship.

Against the backdrop of heightened fears of an Iranian strike on Israel, triggered by the destruction of Iran's consulate in Damascus early in April, the vessel was reportedly seized near the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial artery for global maritime trade.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported the seizure, attributing it to "regional authorities," although specifics regarding the boarding remain scarce.

The region has been on edge following Iran's pledge to retaliate against a suspected Israeli attack on its consulate in Damascus, with Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen also targeting shipping in the Red Sea area.

Adding to the volatile situation, Israel conducted airstrikes on a military complex utilised by Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon, according to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). These strikes occurred following previous IDF operations targeting Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, which were met with a barrage of rockets launched into northern Israel, claimed by Hezbollah.

In another development, CNN reported on settlers descending upon the Palestinian village of Al-Mughayyir in the West Bank, shortly after the discovery of the body of a 14-year-old Israeli boy, Binyamin Achimair. Witnesses observed settlers setting buildings and cars on fire and firing shots toward Palestinians in the village. Subsequently, the Israeli military and border police intervened, using tear gas to disperse both Palestinians and settlers. This incident follows a previous large-scale attack on the village during the search for Achimair, which resulted in the death of a Palestinian man.