On April 13, Iranian official media IRNA said that on Saturday, local time, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards seized the container ship MSC Aries and transferred it to Iranian territorial sea, which is allegedly linked to Israel, IRNA added, adding that a Naval Special Forces helicopter boarded the ship and seized it. MSC also confirmed that the MSC Aries was seized by Iranian officials while passing through the Strait of Hormuz (approximately 41.5 degrees north latitude, 41.9 degrees east longitude) at approximately 2:43 a.m. UTC with 25 crew members on board, and that MSC is working closely with the relevant parties to ensure the safe return of the crew and vessel.

The MSC Aries, chartered and operated by MSC, is owned and managed by Zodiac Maritime, which is part of the Zodiac Group, owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer, and is therefore recognized as having Israeli connections.