In a dramatic video obtained by The Associated Press, commandos were seen raiding a ship near the Strait of Hormuz by helicopter on Saturday. A Mideast defence official attributed the attack to Iran, adding to the already heightened tensions between Tehran and the West.
The video, which was earlier reported by the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, showed the boarding taking place in the Gulf of Oman off the Emirati port city of Fujairah. While the AP could not immediately verify the authenticity of the video, it aligned with known details of the incident, with the helicopter involved appearing to belong to Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.
The incident comes amidst escalating tensions between Iran and the West, particularly following a suspected Israeli strike on the Iranian Consulate in Syria. Despite Iran not acknowledging the seizure of any vessel and no reports in state media about the incident, the country has been involved in a series of ship seizures and attacks on vessels since 2019.
The Gulf of Oman, located near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, is a crucial waterway through which a significant portion of the world’s oil supply passes. Fujairah, on the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates, serves as a vital port for ships to load new oil cargo, receive supplies, and change crew members.
The waters off Fujairah have witnessed a series of explosions and hijackings since 2019, with the US Navy attributing limpet mine attacks on vessels to Iran. The latest incident underscores the volatile situation in the region and the ongoing tensions between Iran and the West.