Vessel reportedly seized by ‘regional authorities’ in strait of Hormuz

A still from a video provided to the Associated Press shows a helicopter raid on a vessel in the strait of Hormuz. Photograph: AP

A vessel has been seized by “regional authorities” in the strait of Hormuz, 50 nautical miles off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, it has been reported.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said in a post on X that the incident had taken place north-east of Fujairah.

In an update on the situation, it said: “Vessel reported to have been seized by regional authorities. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO.”

The statement followed shortly after an initial report that the vessel had been “boarded”.

The strait of Hormuz lies between the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, with Iran to the north. As one of the world’s most strategically important choke points, the strait provides the only sea passage from the Gulf to the open ocean.

The seizure comes amid escalating tensions in the region, with the US president, Joe Biden, saying he expected an Iranian attack on Israel “sooner rather than later”.

“We are devoted to the defence of Israel. We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel, and Iran will not succeed,” Biden told reporters on Friday.

Earlier the White House national security spokesperson, John Kirby, had warned that the threat of a significant Iranian attack on Israel remained “viable” despite Washington-led efforts, including calls to Tehran from the UK and Germany, to deter a serious escalation in the conflict in the Middle East.

The German airline Lufthansa said on Friday its planes would no longer use Iranian airspace and extended its suspension of flights to and from Tehran until Thursday.

Qantas has paused its direct flights from Perth to London because the 17-and-a-half-hour journey is possible only by using Iranian airspace.

Iran has threatened reprisals against Israel for a strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria on 1 April, in which seven members of the Revolutionary Guards, including two generals, were killed, sparking fears that an already volatile situation in the Middle East could quickly spiral further.