Puppet Masters

British container ship hijacked near Strait Of Hormuz amid soaring Iran tensions

Tyler Durden
ZeroHedge
Sat, 13 Apr 2024 17:45 UTC

While Israel on Friday braced for cruise missile and suicide drone attacks, there are new reports on Saturday morning that Iranian commandos hijacked an Israeli-affiliated container ship heading towards the Strait of Hormuz.

AP News says the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations initially reported the hijacking of Portuguese-flagged MSC Aries, a container ship linked to London-based Zodiac Maritime. Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer controls the international ship management company that owns and charters large vessels.

Video of the boarding has been circulating X for the past hour. However, "AP could not immediately verify the video, it corresponded to known details of the boarding, and the helicopter involved appeared to be one used by Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which has carried out other ship raids in the past," the media outlet said.

According to Bloomberg data, MSC Aries was leaving a port from Dubai on Thursday and heading towards the Strait of Hormuz. The vessel's last known position was recorded around 1256 local time on Friday off Dubai's coast. AP noted that the ship's transponder had been switched off.

X user Megatron called the ship's seizure by Iran a "big game changer":

This once again is confirming that the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Qatar are helping Israel bypass the Houthi blockade by land route from the UAE port.

Iran is now cutting that route as well.

If Hezbollah cut the Mediterranean route with its drones, Israel could fall into a complete trade blockade.

The incident in the Strait of Hormuz is very concerning since maritime chokepoints in the region are plagued with conflict. Off of Yemen, in the Bab-El Mandeb Strait, Iran-backed Houthis have unleashed multi-month drone and missile attacks against US, UK, and Israeli vessels.

In a recent note to clients, the global corporate & investment banking capital markets strategy team at MUFG Bank warned the key theme for 2024 would be "Higher friction geopolitics."

Focusing on the Middle East, MUFG's Tom Joyce showed how 25% of global trade flows through three chokepoints: Suez Canal, Bab-El Mandeb Strait, and Strait of Hormuz. The latest incident is very concerning for global trade and flow of goods, such as energy products, through the region.

This all comes as Israel is bracing for drone and missile attacks by Iran or its proxies as warnings flashed on Friday about retaliation for the killing last week of senior Iranian military officials at the country's embassy in Damascus.

Comment: Iran has more than a passing interest in the Aries:

Full text:
#Iran (IRGC) is sending multiple messages to the #US and #Israel by seizing the Israeli-own ship MSC ARIES in the Strait of Hormuz.
1. It is in no way a response to the violation of the Israeli bombing of a diplomatic consulate in #Syria.
2. It is a response to @JoeBiden's message to Iran saying: Don't (attack Israel). Iran says: What will you do now?
3. Responding to US officials saying that the US "will defend Israel by any means necessary". Iran says: Show us your move now!
4. A response to Israel's bombing of Iranian logistic warehouses in #Syria (not the consulate).
5. Ratcheting up tensions with Israel before the BIG HIT.
6. Cutting off the land route provided to Israel by the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Jordan by offering Israel a port at Jebel Ali where goods are transported via the Trucknet Israeli-Eilat base company to bypass the Yemen Ansar'Allah blockade.
7. The Strait of Hormuz will be closed in case of war (20% of world transit commerce and oil). Expect inflation and oil prices to reach the sky if this conflict continues.

it isn't Iran's first attack on Ofer's shipping fleet:

Suspected Iranian drones hit Israel-linked tanker in Arabian Sea - US military source

Reader Comments

skywood · 2024-04-15T11:06:46Z

Video (like many these days) highly unconvincing

Highlander · 2024-04-15T11:40:30Z

Aries is a Zionist owned ship, used by Israel and arming the IDF to commit pogroms.

codis · 2024-04-15T13:42:47Z

I suspect the ship's cargo might have been a reason as well. Not sure if we ever hear what the Iranians intercepted there.

7. The Strait of Hormuz will be closed in case of war (20% of world transit commerce and oil). Expect inflation and oil prices to reach the sky if this conflict continues.

I suppose a 15$ per gallon gas price will do as good for Biden's reelection as an Ukrainian unconditional surrender.

Highlander · 2024-04-15T15:55:35Z

codis Sorry, If Irans government closes the straits, you’re looking at $450.00 a gallon! Ukraine is dying its way on the bodies America and England have used to undermine Russia! It didn’t work! China put Ukrainian dead at over two MILLION!

codis · 2024-04-15T16:17:15Z

Highlander

Sorry, If Irans government closes the straits, you’re looking at $450.00 a gallon!

The US has it's own oild sources & drilling rigs, even if many are are shutdown at the monent. In difference to continental Europe, for example, who depend solely on external supplies.

I don't know what the price would there would be. But even the 15$ would be devastating to the lifestyle of most Americans, and cause instant riots. Not that I endorse their lavish habits, just saying ...

Highlander · 2024-04-16T06:15:33Z

codis Goodness me, if I know American stock piles of fuel are at the lowest since before WW2 why don’t you? Less than 10% of the normal capacity! Yes I understand conaco the American oil company are stealing Iraqi and Syrian oil gas wheat using the American and English military. But that’s coming to an end! America has its own drilling rigs, that I understand, but, because of all Americans thievery, political Machiavellian genocides, assassinations, enforced indoctrination of nations, you are a people are detested throughout the world. Just like your Zionists in Israel! You know, the ones that run your nation!

You won’t be allowed to use that rigs, on foreign soil, 48 nations have applied to join BRICS, and that’s only the start. America will revert to being marginalised and wither on its own corruption as a pariah nation as it was before WW1.

Anyway you have no one else to blame but yourselves. Just like the English in the eyes of the world!

codis · 2024-04-16T07:06:08Z

Highlander

Goodness me, if I know American stock piles of fuel are at the lowest since before WW2 why don’t you? Less than 10% of the normal capacity!

I didn't speak about reserves. I know those are down, I suspect the Biden regime did that on purpose.

The WEF-friendly part of the US elite helped to supress exploitation of oil sources, by cutting finances and enact prohibitive laws. But nonetheless, those domestic sources exist. How quickly they could be reestablished is another question. I suppose it would be months rather than weeks, even if the will was there. Which is not, currently.

Yes I understand conaco the American oil company are stealing Iraqi and Syrian oil gas wheat using the American and English military.

Which has tha additional benefit of sparing their own resources, keep opponents in the region down, and thus keep control over them.

Highlander · 2024-04-16T10:15:26Z

codis Mmm….. WEF friendly, sorry you must live in a different reality to us earthlings.

Those prohibitive laws you speak of …… would that have anything to do with American use of biological chemical or nuclear weapons, against sovereign nations? Aye what planet do you reside? No I’ll not mention the murder rape torture and sodomy by American forces on civilians women and even children, I suppose you might think it keeps the natives down, but the Houthi’s aren’t half kicking your American arses at the moment! As for Iran, or Hezbollah, go on send in your troops! I bloody dare you! I know exactly how cowardly American military represents themselves when butchering defenceless women and children, your black sites are known throughout the world. No, your justice is coming, you just haven’t the sense or gumption to realise these facts at the moment. If Iran closes the Straits, America with all its oil will collapse within two to four weeks. And the price of fuel will increase as American hedge funds who now own the Dutch futures market, did with 1500% increase in price of gas and electricity. Aaah, your capitalist market, the biggest greediest nose at the trough receives the most! American greed immoral lives and shallow materialism instead of education works wonders! For the rich fascists and degenerates amongst you, there seems to be many!

Have a nice day.

“

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British container ship hijacked near Strait Of Hormuz amid soaring Iran tensions

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