In a recent development, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossei Amirabdollahian announced that the crew of a container ship flying the Portuguese flag, and with ties to Israel, will be released. The MSC Aries container ship was seized by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in the Strait of Hormuz on April 13. This occurred shortly after Tehran threatened to retaliate for a suspected Israeli attack on its consulate in Damascus.
The minister expressed his concern over the humanitarian issue of the crew’s release in a phone call to his Portuguese counterpart Paulo Rangel. The crew, consisting of 25 members, will be handed over to their respective diplomatic representatives in Tehran soon, although the exact timing was not specified.
In other maritime news, a ship was damaged by multiple missiles during an attack off the coast of Yemen. The attack, claimed by Houthi rebels, took place south-west of the Yemeni port of Mokha. The UK Maritime Trade Operations Security Agency (UKMTO) reported that the first explosion near the ship was felt by the crew on board, followed by a second attack with two missiles causing damage.
A British maritime security company, Ambrey, also reported an attack off the port of Mokha involving three missiles. The targeted vessel was identified as a Panama-flagged oil tanker previously owned by the United Kingdom but now registered in the Seychelles. Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for the attack on both the Andromeda Star and another ship, the MV Maisha. The US Central Command confirmed the attacks and reported minor damage to the Andromeda Star, with no injuries reported. These incidents come after a series of attacks by the Houthis on international shipping in the Red Sea since November, purportedly in solidarity with Palestinians amidst conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Amirabdollahian reiterated that Iran does not tolerate any form of aggression against its interests or those of other countries in
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