Video: How masked Iranian commandos seized India-bound ship in Hormuz

A day after two merchant vessels were seized, including one bound for Gujarat, Iran released dramatic footage showing masked commandos taking control of the ships.

In Short

• Iran releases footage showing commandos boarding cargo vessels
• One vessel, Epaminondas, was headed towards Mundra Port
• Vessel suffered damage after Iran soldiers opened fire

A day after Iran seized two merchant ships, including one bound for India, in the Strait of Hormuz, it released dramatic footage purportedly showing how masked commandos chased the vessels, climbed aboard and eventually seized them. The propaganda video, straight out of a Hollywood action thriller, comes days after US Marines boarded and seized two Iranian-flagged cargo ships that tried to break the blockade in Hormuz.

On Wednesday, hours after Trump unilaterally extended the ceasefire, the Iranian navy attacked and took control of two vessels - Panama-flagged MSC Francesca and Liberia-flagged Epaminondas. The Epaminondas was headed towards Mundra Port in Gujarat from Dubai. Both the ships were taken back to Iran's shores, marking the first such instance of Tehran's military seizing vessels since the outbreak of the war.

HOW IRAN SOLDIERS SEIZED INDIA SHIP?

The dramatic video shows Iranian troops in speedboats approaching the cargo ships. This flies in the face of Trump's repeated claims that the Iranian navy was decimated during the war. However, US officials have claimed that behind the seizures were Iran's "mosquito fleet" - small, fast, and hard-to-track boats operated by the powerful IRGC.

The video then shows masked Iranian soldiers, armed with rifles, scaling a ladder and boarding the MSC Francesca. Aboard the Epaminondas, the masked commandos are seen conducting searches with rifles and entering the engine room. The visuals then show the soldiers climbing on the top deck of the ship.

The India-bound Epaminondas vessel suffered damage to its bridge (the central command centre) after Iranian soldiers opened fire and hurled grenades from their speedboat. The crew, however, did not suffer any injuries.

The MSC Francesca, which was around six miles off the coast of Iran, also came under heavy fire.

The IRGC said the cargo ships did not have "required authorisation" and "manipulated navigation systems", endangering maritime safety. It also warned that actions disrupting the strait's "order" would be considered a red line.

A TIT-FOR-TAT MOVE

The incident was likely a tit-for-tat move by Iran after the US military released a video showing an operation by its forces seizing an Iranian cargo ship, Touska.

The US claimed the ship attempted to bypass its blockade of Iranian ports - which has become the latest flashpoint between the warring sides. Iran has made lifting of the blockade a prerequisite for any future talks.

However, the attack on an India-bound ship is bound to complicate ties between Delhi and Tehran.

Last week, two Indian vessels - Jag Arnav and Sanmar Herald - were attacked by the Iranian navy, prompting New Delhi to summon the Iranian envoy and lodge a protest.

The attack came despite assurance from the Iranian political leadership that vessels of five "friendly" nations - India, Pakistan, Iraq, China, Russia - wouldn't be targeted.

The incident, in fact, has raised a broader question. Who is calling the shots in Iran? Several reports have suggested that the powerful IRGC, which reports to the Supreme Leader, was in control and the de facto ruler.

- Ends