US Command: Iranian forces seized ship in international waters

SANAA, Aug 13 (YPA) – The US Central Command said, on Wednesday night, that Iranian forces supported by two ships and a helicopter seized a ship in international waters.

The US Central Command published a video clip on its Twitter account, in which it documented the moment the Iranian forces seized the ship, according to its claim.

The ship called “Wella” appeared in the video, moored in the water, and above it a helicopter was landing soldiers on board, according to the US command.

The leadership did not provide further details about the accident, and Iran has not yet announced or denied the incident.

The vessel “Wella”, according to Refinitiv Ship Tracking Data, is an oil tanker flying the Liberian flag and is currently docking near the port of Khorfakkan in the United Arab Emirates.

An American official, who asked not to be named, said that the events took place near the Strait of Hormuz, and that Iranian forces finally released the ship.

He added that the US military did not participate in the matter in any way except through its monitoring of the situation, according to Reuters.

Tensions rose between Iran and the United States last year, following a series of incidents affecting shipping in and near the Gulf.

In July 2019, Iran briefly detained a British-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf after Britain seized the Iranian tanker Grace 1, accusing it of violating sanctions on Syria.