TEL AVIV, April 13. /TASS/. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz slammed the Iranian seizure of a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz as "a pirate operation" as he called on the European Union to declare Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps as a terrorist organization.

"[Iran’s] criminal regime that supports Hamas’ crimes is now conducting a pirate operation in violation of international law," Israel’s top diplomat wrote on X as he also urged the EU to sanction Iran.

The operator of the vessel seized by Iran told TASS that there are 25 crew members on board the Portuguese-flagged MSC Aries container ship. It is associated with the London-based Zodiac Maritime, a subsidiary of the Zodiac Group shipping business owned by Israeli magnate Eyal Ofer.