Hollywood-style raid: Iran releases dramatic seizure video of India-bound ship in Hormuz - WATCH

Iran has released a dramatic video a day after Iran captured two merchant ships, including one headed for India, in the Strait of Hormuz. The footage appears to show masked commandos chasing the vessels, climbing aboard and eventually seizing them, similar to a Hollywood action thriller movie. The release follows recent US actions where Marines intercepted Iranian-linked cargo ships attempting to breach the blockade.

On Wednesday, shortly after Donald Trump extended the ceasefire, Iranian naval forces captured the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca and Liberia-flagged Epaminondas, the latter en route to Mundra Port in Gujarat from Dubai. Both the ships were escorted to Iran's shores, marking Tehran's first such seizure since the outbreak of the war.

The video shows Iranian forces in speedboats approaching the ships, countering claims that Iran’s navy had been weakened. US officials attributed the operation to Iran’s so-called “mosquito fleet”, fast, agile boats linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Armed commandos are then seen climbing aboard, conducting searches, and securing control of the vessels.

In the next scene, the footage shows masked Iranian soldiers, armed with rifles, scaling a ladder and landing on the MSC Francesca. Aboard the Epaminondas, the masked commandos can also be seen searching the vessels with rifles and entering the engine room. Later, the soldiers are seen climbing on the top deck of the ship.

The India-bound Epaminondas sustained damage to its bridge, the vessel’s main control centre, after Iranian forces fired at it and threw grenades from speedboats. Despite the attack, no crew members were injured. The MSC Francesca, located about six miles off Iran’s coast, also came under intense fire.

IRGC clarify the seizure of two merchant ships

In response, the IRGC claimed the ships lacked proper authorisation and had tampered with navigation systems, posing risks to maritime safety. It warned that any disruption to order in the Strait of Hormuz would cross a red line.

The incident appears to be a retaliatory move following a US operation in which forces seized the Iranian vessel Touska for allegedly attempting to bypass the blockade. Iran has made lifting the blockade a key condition for future talks, but targeting a ship bound for India could strain ties between New Delhi and Tehran.