“Iran will suffer the consequences of choosing to further aggravate the situation.” Military spokesman Daniel Hagari said this in a statement released during his sabbatical rest. “Israel – he added – is on maximum alert. We have increased our readiness to protect Israel from further Iranian aggression. We are also ready to respond. The IDF is ready for all scenarios and will take the necessary steps, together with its allies, to protect the people of Israel.”
The Wall Street Journal reports that the United States has moved warships into position to protect not only Israel but its own forces in the Middle East, amid growing concern that Iran could launch a direct attack on the Jewish state. The United States, then – a senior Biden administration official and a source close to US intelligence tell CNN – expect that Iran will carry out “attacks against multiple targets inside Israel” and that in the operation ” allies of Tehran could be involved.”
In the Middle East “unfortunately the situation is very tense, there are risks of escalation”, said the Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani. “Yesterday I spoke for an hour with the Foreign Minister of Iran and I urged prudence. I was concerned about protecting the Italian soldiers who are on the border between Lebanon and Israel – he added – and I insisted on the need to guarantee the merchant traffic through Suez and the Red Sea. I was told that the Houthis will not attack merchant ships that do not bring weapons to Israel.”
Iran confirms, “ship linked to Israel seized in Hormuz”
Iran's state TV confirmed that An “Israel-linked” cargo ship has been seized by Islamic Republic forces in the Strait of Hormuz. News previously anticipated by Gulf media and an international maritime authority.
The official IRNA news agency said the “Israel-linked” cargo ship was seized by Revolutionary Guards special forces in the Strait of Hormuz. “A container ship entitled Mcs Aries was seized by maritime special forces” during “an operation conducted with a helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz”, IRNA wrote. The Iranian agency confirms that the ship “flys the Portuguese flag and is operated by the Zodiac company, which belongs to the Zionist capitalist Eyal Ofer”, and was “heading towards Iranian territorial waters”.
There are 25 crew members on the ship, according to the shipping company MSC. “We regret to confirm that the MSC Aries, owned by Gortal Shipping Inc, affiliated to Zodiac Maritime, and chartered by MSC, was boarded by Iranian authorities by helicopter” and “there are 25 crew members on board”, announced the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), based in Geneva.
14-year-old Israeli killed in West Bank: “it's terrorism”
The 14-year-old Israeli boy Binyamin Achimair missing since yesterday in the West Bank “was killed in a terrorist attack” and his body was found in the Malachei HaShalom area, from where he had disappeared. This was announced by the Israeli army and police who were looking for him. “The IdF and Shin Bet forces are hunting down the despicable killers and anyone who collaborated with them. We will get to the killers and their accomplices, as we do to anyone who harms the citizens of the State of Israel,” he said, cited by the media, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.