NOS News•today, 11:04•Changed today, 13:15
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards have captured a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, the strait between Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Iranian state media report this. Footage shown shows members of the Guard boarding the cargo ship by helicopter.
The ship is owned by Zodiac Maritime, the international shipping company itself reports. The company is partly owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer.
This morning, maritime companies reported a hijacking in the strait and now Iranian state media are reporting that Tehran is responsible.
This may be an act of revenge for the recent airstrike on the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus. Seven officers of the Revolutionary Guard were killed. Most likely Israel was responsible for that.
Iran boarding cargo ship in Persian Gulf
Due to the rising tensions between Iran and Israel, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to close the embassy in the Iranian capital Tehran tomorrow. The consulate in the Iraqi city of Erbil will also remain closed as a precaution.
Normally both posts are open on Sundays because that is the start of the working week. “People who had an appointment have been or will soon be informed that it has been rescheduled,” writes the ministry. This mainly concerns appointments from people who want to apply for a visa to travel to the Netherlands.
Other activities of the diplomatic missions will continue. “The safety of employees has the highest priority,” the statement said.
It is not the first time that the Netherlands has closed an embassy or consulate as a precaution. For example, the consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul was temporarily closed a year ago after a Koran was torn up in front of the Turkish embassy in The Hague. Due to subsequent threats, the post was closed.
Earlier this week, the US Embassy in Israel banned employees from traveling through Israel. Russia, France, Canada and Australia have advised their citizens not to travel to Israel.
Biden: Don’t do it
US President Biden has again warned of an impending attack by Iran on Israel. Biden told reporters in Washington that he expects that attack “sooner rather than later.” Last Wednesday, the president said that Iran is threatening “a significant attack.”
He now told journalists in Washington that he does not want to release sensitive information about it. He further addressed Tehran: “Don’t do it,” he said. “We are committed to the defense of Israel. We will support Israel, we will help defend Israel, and Iran will not succeed.”
The United States has rushed warships into position to protect Israel and American forces in the region and in hopes of averting Iran’s attack.
According to CNN the US has seen that Iran is moving military equipment, including drones and cruise missiles. The news channel also says that US intelligence services expect Iran to carry out attacks on multiple targets in Israel and that Iranian allies may also be involved in carrying out the attacks.
See more about the shadow war between Iran and Israel here:
The shadow war between Iran and Israel
In the meantime, other organizations are also taking measures. After the German airline Lufthansa, the Austrian Austrian Airlines also temporarily stops flights to Tehran, due to concerns about the safety of staff and passengers. The company is canceling flights at least until next Thursday. Austrian Airlines, a subsidiary of Lufthansa, was the last Western European airline to fly to Iran.
Possible attack
What exactly an attack by Iran on Israel would look like is a mystery. According to the generally well-established newspaper The Wall Street Journal Iran plans to strike northern or southern Israel. That could happen with medium-range missiles. The two countries are about a thousand kilometers apart.
Israel is considering attacks on military or government targets, such as the ports of Haifa or Eilat. But attacks on utilities are also considered possible.
Such an attack would be a response to an Israeli airstrike on the Iranian embassy complex in the Syrian capital Damascus on April 1. Sixteen people were killed, including fourteen soldiers. One of them was General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a key figure in Iranian contacts in Syria and Lebanon. Israel has never claimed responsibility for that attack, but the US has confirmed Israel’s involvement.
Last week, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei said Israel must be punished, “and it will be.” Until now, Iran always used its allies in the region to attack Israel, such as Hezbollah or Hamas. But now Iran appears to want to do something itself, observers say.