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Iran seizes 2 commercialized ships successful Strait of Hormuz, attacks third
Daniel Flesch, a erstwhile Israeli Defense Force worker and U.N. ngo elder advisor, analyzes Iran's seizure of 2 commercialized ships and onslaught connected a 3rd successful nan Strait of Hormuz. Flesch asserts Iran is sending a connection to world power markets and President Donald Trump, who precocious extended a ceasefire. He explains really nan U.S. must guarantee power complete nan strait.
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Tensions escalated successful nan Strait of Hormuz connected April 22 aft Iran’s IRGC seized 2 vessels successful what analysts picture arsenic "tit-for-tat" retaliation against nan U.S., pinch 1 vessel linked to a billionaire shipping family tied to Presidents Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron.
Video aired connected Iran authorities TV purportedly shows IRGC soldiers seizing nan instrumentality ships successful nan Strait, Reuters said Thursday.
One vessel, nan MSC Francesca, is owned by MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, founded by Italian billionaire Gianluigi Aponte and now controlled by his 2 children, Fox News Digital has learned.
"Some 20 Iranians equipped to nan teeth stormed nan ship. Sailors are nether Iranian control, their movements connected nan vessel are limited, but nan Iranians are treating them well," a comparative of 1 of nan MSC Francesca seafarers told Reuters.
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Soldiers return portion successful nan seizure of nan instrumentality ships MSC Francesca and Epaminondas successful nan Strait of Hormuz, according to footage broadcast connected Iranian authorities TV and released connected April 22, 2026. (IRIB/Handout/Reuters)
"The vessel is anchored 9 nautical miles from nan Iranian coast. Negotiations betwixt MSC and Iran are ongoing, our sailors are fine," Montenegro's curate of maritime affairs, Filip Radulovic, told authorities broadcaster RTCG.
Maritime intelligence patient Windward AI pointed to IRGC "tit-for-tat" strategies fixed nan recent MSC alloy seizure.
This followed a U.S. naval blockade imposed connected April 13, pinch Tehran informing of retaliation aft U.S. forces besides seized an Iranian vessel.
"The IRGC attacked 3 ships. It besides captured and took successful 2 of them—the MSC Francesca and nan Epaminondas—while nan Euphoria managed to get away," Windward AI co-founder Ami Daniel told Fox News Digital.
IRAN FIRES LIVE MISSILES INTO STRAIT OF HORMUZ AS TRUMP ENVOYS ARRIVE FOR NUCLEAR TALKS
Soldiers return portion successful nan cognition seizing instrumentality ships MSC Francesca and Epaminondas successful nan Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian authorities TV connected April 22, 2026. (IRIB/Handout/Reuters)
"This is simply a ‘tit-for-tat’ workout by nan IRGC, which, on pinch nan Houthis, has agelong claimed MSC is connected to Israel.
"Aponte, proprietor and chairman, has a Jewish wife, and MSC calls successful Israel; however, truthful do each awesome liners," he added.
Diego Aponte, Gianluigi’s son, had been making "inroads pinch Trump’s circle," Bloomberg reported April 13.
He besides helped put a November 2025 White House gathering pinch Swiss business leaders that led to a preliminary woody to trim nan 39% tariffs imposed connected Switzerland complete nan summer.
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The MSC executive president has been photographed pinch French President Emmanuel Macron. (REUTERS / Stephane Mahe)
Over nan past year, MSC’s narration pinch nan White House besides positioned begetter Gianluigi Aponte arsenic a cardinal subordinate successful a $19 cardinal woody pinch Li Ka-shing, arsenic MSC and BlackRock moved to get two Panama Canal ports nether unit from Trump to spot them successful "friendly" hands, according to nan outlet.
With a nett worthy of astatine slightest $37 billion, according to nan Bloomberg Billionaires Index, it is Gianluigi Aponte and his wife, Rafaela Aponte-Diamant, who look to mingle pinch world leaders.
The MSC executive president and Rafaela person been photographed pinch French President Emmanuel Macron.
GULF SHIPPING OPERATIONS GRIND TO HALT NEAR IRAN, US QUIETLY PREPARES FOR POSSIBLE STRIKE: 'HEIGHTENED RISK'
The Panama-flagged MSC Francesca alloy is docked successful Long Beach, Calif., connected April 16, 2025. (Efrain Morales/Reuters)
Rafaela is besides reportedly related to Alexis Kohler (his mother is said to beryllium her cousin), who served arsenic Macron’s secretary-general from May 2017 to April 14, 2025, and was described arsenic "Macron’s 2nd brain."
Meanwhile, nan Aponte family’s vessel, carrying astir 40 unit members, was taken toward Iran’s larboard of Bandar Abbas by nan Iranian navy, sources told Reuters Thursday.
Four unit members, including nan captain, are from Montenegro, officials said, while Croatia’s overseas ministry confirmed 2 Croatian nationals are besides aboard; MSC declined to comment, Reuters confirmed.
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The IRGC Navy claimed that some vessels captured "were operating without nan basal permits."
According to Lloyd’s List, nan 2008-built MSC Francesca "normally operates successful work betwixt nan U.S. West Coast, Asia and nan Middle East Gulf."
Emma Bussey is simply a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital. Before joining Fox, she worked astatine The Telegraph pinch nan U.S. overnight team, crossed desks including foreign, politics, news, athletics and culture.
