Military chiefs urge next PM to 'send in the Marines' to protect British ships as Iran releases dramatic footage of moment balaclava-clad commandos abseiled from helicopter and hijacked tanker

Guest

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7268059/Iranian-Revolutionary-Guard-commandos-drop-helicopter-hijack-British-tanker.html

Military chiefs urge next PM to 'send in the Marines' to protect British ships as Iran releases dramatic footage of moment balaclava-clad commandos abseiled from helicopter and hijacked tanker in 'tit-for-tat' strike

The Stena Impero was seized in the Strait of Hormuz at 4pm yesterday by Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces
British-registered tanker was ordered to turn to the north and was taken into Iranian territorial waters
Warship HMS Montrose, which was patrolling the Persian Gulf, did a U-turn and raced to help captured ship
A second vessel, the British-operated Mesdar was seized by Iran but was released after being inspected
Following an emergency COBRA meeting, Iran was warned it faces 'serious consequences' for their actions

By DARREN BOYLE FOR MAILONLINE and MARK NICHOL FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY
PUBLISHED: 11:42 EDT, 20 July 2019 | UPDATED: 18:34 EDT, 20 July 2019

[email=?subject=Read%20this:%20Military%20chiefs%20urge%20next%20PM%20to%20%27send%20in%20the%20Marines%27%20to%20protect%20British%20ships%20as%20Iran%20releases%20dramatic%20footage%20of%20moment%20balaclava-clad%20commandos%20abseiled%20from%20helicopter%20and%20hijacked%20tanker%20in%20%27tit-for-tat%27%20strike&body=Military%20chiefs%20urge%20next%20PM%20to%20%27send%20in%20the%20Marines%27%20to%20protect%20British%20ships%20as%20Iran%20releases%20dramatic%20footage%20of%20moment%20balaclava-clad%20commandos%20abseiled%20from%20helicopter%20and%20hijacked%20tanker%20in%20%27tit-for-tat%27%20strike%0A%0AThe%20footage%20showed%20troops%20wearing%20ski%20masks%20and%20carrying%20machine%20guns%20rappelling%20to%20its%20deck%20from%20a%20helicopter%20before%20capturing%20the%20British%20oil%20tanker%20last%20night.%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-7268059%2FIranian-Revolutionary-Guard-commandos-drop-helicopter-hijack-British-tanker.html%3Fito%3Demail_share_article-top%0A%0A%0AMost%20Read%20Articles%3A%0A%0A%27I%20offered%20to%20personally%20vouch%20for%20his%20bail%27%3A%20Trump%20honors%20his%20promise%20to%20call%20Sweden%27s%20PM%20on%20behalf%20of%20jailed%20rapper%20A%24AP%20Rocky%20in%20effort%20to%20get%20him%20released%C2%A0%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-7267981%2FTrump-honors-promise-call-Swedens-PM-behalf-jailed-rapper-AP-Rocky.html%3Fito%3Demail_share_article-top_most-read-articles%0A%0A%27Where%20are%20they%20now%3F%27%20Trump%27s%20baffling%20Oval%20Office%20response%20to%20Nobel%20Peace%20Prize%20winner%20after%20she%20told%20him%20how%20her%20Yazidi%20family%20was%20kidnapped%20and%20killed%20by%20ISIS%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-7267623%2FPresident-Trumps-strange-response-Yazidi-woman-family-killed-ISIS.html%3Fito%3Demail_share_article-top_most-read-articles%0A%0ADeadly%20heatwave%20to%20leave%20DC%20as%20hot%20as%20DEATH%20VALLEY%20this%20weekend%20as%20200M%20brace%20for%20temperatures%20in%20excess%20of%20100F%20sparking%20NYC%20to%20declare%20an%20emergency%20and%20roads%20to%20buckle%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-7266921%2FDeadly-heatwave-leave-DC-hot-DEATH-VALLEY-weekend.html%3Fito%3Demail_share_article-top_most-read-articles%0A%0A]e-mail[/email]

[size=32]2.2kshares

[/size]

[size=32]3.5k[/size]

[size]

[/size]

View comments

[size]
[/size]

Military chiefs will this week brief Britain’s new Prime Minister on the mounting Iran crisis and tell him: ‘Send in the Marines’.
After the dramatic hijacking of the Stena Impero oil tanker carrying 23 crew by Iranian Special Forces, top brass were last night devising a list of options for a rapid military response.
It is understood they will seek the green light to deploy Royal Marines on British vessels travelling through the Strait of Hormuz to act as a deterrent to further aggression.
The involvement of the elite Iranian troops in the capture of the Stena Impero was broadcast on Iranian state television yesterday.
Its release came during a day of drama which saw the Iranian charge d’affaires in London summoned to the Foreign Office and another meeting of Cobra, the UK Government’s emergency coordination committee, to discuss the rapidly escalating crisis.
[size=10][size=18]Iranian commandos drop from helicopter to hijack British tanker

Loaded: 0%
Progress: 0%
1:45
Previous
Play
Skip
Mute

[/size][/size]

Current Time1:45
/
Duration Time1:58

[size][size][size]
Fullscreen
Need Text

SHARE THIS

MORE VIDEOS
Military chiefs urge next PM to 'send in the Marines' to protect British ships as Iran releases dramatic footage of moment balaclava-clad commandos abseiled from helicopter and hijacked tanker 15969002-0-image-a-28_1562943825416

Military chiefs urge next PM to 'send in the Marines' to protect British ships as Iran releases dramatic footage of moment balaclava-clad commandos abseiled from helicopter and hijacked tanker 15969002-0-image-a-28_1562943825416

HMS Duncan travels to the Arabian Gulf amid ongoing …

Protester interrupts Trump rally in North Carolina

Road rage driver drives into cyclist and knocks him off th…

Terrifying moment disguised croc suddenly leaps out of t…

[/size]

MORE VIDEOS

[/size][/size]

1
2
3

[size][size][size]

[/size]

[/size][/size]

- Watch video
  Boyfriend accidentally reveals Tinder notification while on vacation
- Watch video
  Mississippi man narrowly escapes falling tree during tornado
- Watch video
  Exterminators find house where every inch is covered in bed bugs
- Watch video
  Trump says Iran is 'nothing but trouble' after UK ship is seized
- Watch video
  Trump says 'We shot it down!' after Iran denies US destroyed its drone
- Watch video
  Heart-stopping moment man jumps on plane wing just before takeoff
- Watch video
  Baby chimpanzee clings to its mother days after birth at Chester Zoo
- Watch video
  Trump says US 'have an agreement with UK' as Iran seize UK tanker
- Watch video
  Cat throws a strop after owner takes away its treat
- Watch video
  Sleepy tiger naps in family home after escaping heavy flooding
- Watch video
  Tornado hits Manchester ripping through trees and damaging roofs
- Watch video
  Tornado sweeps through Manchester leaving buildings and cars damaged

[size]

+26

Britain only has the Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose in the region plus four mine hunters, while the US as its Fifth Fleet based in Bahrain - which includes one aircraft carrier, one missile cruiser, five destroyers, two amphibious vessels and two or three submarines
Iran had earlier released a propaganda video showing the moment Iranian Revolutionary Guard commandos drop from a helicopter to hijack a British tanker.
Footage shows troops wearing ski masks and carrying machine guns rappelling to the deck of the British-flagged tanker Stena Impero from their aircraft last night.
It comes as Jeremy Hunt expressed his 'extreme disappointment' in the regime. He explained that any measures to be taken over Iran’s seizure of the British-flagged tanker in the Gulf will be announced in Parliament on Monday.
The UK foreign secretary wrote on Twitter: 'Just spoke to Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and expressed extreme disappointment that having assured me last Saturday that Iran wanted to deescalate situation they have behaved in the opposite way.'
A defence source revealed today that a Royal Navy warship raced to help the vessel but arrived ten minutes too late.
HMS Montrose, which was patrolling the Persian Gulf, was forced to do a U-turn when it received orders to assist the UK-flagged Stena Impero, which had been seized by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Stena Impero was still in Omani waters when the orders were sent, but by the time HMS Montrose arrived the vessel had been taken and redirected into Iranian territorial waters. It's claimed the Iranians were ready to 'engage' the Type 23 frigate.
Iran's seizure of the British ships was a deliberate act of provocation because the ships were in international waters.
The action prompted a late night meeting of the COBRA emergency security committee chaired by Prime Minister Theresa May.
Military chiefs urge next PM to 'send in the Marines' to protect British ships as Iran releases dramatic footage of moment balaclava-clad commandos abseiled from helicopter and hijacked tanker 16286620-7268059-image-m-90_1563637193724

+26

In a new propaganda video issued by Iran's Revolutionary Guards today, speedboats pull up alongside the detained British-flagged tanker Stena Impero
Military chiefs urge next PM to 'send in the Marines' to protect British ships as Iran releases dramatic footage of moment balaclava-clad commandos abseiled from helicopter and hijacked tanker 16286622-7268059-image-m-96_1563637221654

+26

The footage showed troops wearing ski masks and carrying machine guns (pictured) rappelling to its deck from a helicopter before capturing the British oil tanker last night
Military chiefs urge next PM to 'send in the Marines' to protect British ships as Iran releases dramatic footage of moment balaclava-clad commandos abseiled from helicopter and hijacked tanker YH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7

+26

Troops drop down from a helicopter to hijack the British oil tanker last night, in revenge for the detention of Grace 1 earlier this month, which was captured by UK forces off the coast of Gibraltar on July 4
Military chiefs urge next PM to 'send in the Marines' to protect British ships as Iran releases dramatic footage of moment balaclava-clad commandos abseiled from helicopter and hijacked tanker YH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7

+26

Jeremy Hunt (pictured leaving Downing Street today) expressed his 'extreme disappointment' in the regime. He explained that any measures to be taken over Iran’s seizure of the British-flagged tanker in the Gulf will be announced in Parliament on Monday
Military chiefs urge next PM to 'send in the Marines' to protect British ships as Iran releases dramatic footage of moment balaclava-clad commandos abseiled from helicopter and hijacked tanker YH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7

The UK foreign secretary wrote on Twitter: 'Just spoke to Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and expressed extreme disappointment that having assured me last Saturday that Iran wanted to deescalate situation they have behaved in the opposite way.'
Military chiefs urge next PM to 'send in the Marines' to protect British ships as Iran releases dramatic footage of moment balaclava-clad commandos abseiled from helicopter and hijacked tanker 16288098-7268059-image-a-3_1563641351970

+26

Minister for the Cabinet Office David Lidington was among those attending crisis talks at Number 10 this afternoon
Mr Hunt said the Iranian actions yesterday raised 'very serious questions' about the security of British and international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Stena Impero, which is Swedish owned, had 23 crew on board consisting of 18 Indians, three Russians, a Latvian and a Filipino.
Almost one-third of the world's oil travels through the strait, which is only 21 nautical miles at its narrowest point, making it a strategic choke-point for international trade.
Mr Hunt stressed the UK-flagged tanker was in Omani waters when it was seized 'in clear contravention of international law'.
Iran's foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told Mr Hunt that yesterday's seizure was a 'tit for tat' response for the detention of the Grace 1 in Gibraltar.
Speaking inside the Foreign and Commonwealth Office today, Mr Hunt said: 'Nothing could be further from the truth,' he said.
[size=18]Jeremy Hunt says Iran saw the seizing of tanker as 'tit-for-tat'

Loaded: 0%
Progress: 0%
0:00
Previous
Play
Skip
Mute

[/size][/size]

Current Time0:00
/
Duration Time2:35

[size][size][size]
Fullscreen
Need Text

[/size]

Saudi Arabia releases Iranian oil tanker seized over fee dispute

An Iranian ship which had gone to Jeddah port in Saudi Arabia because of technical problems in May is heading back to Iran, Iran's ISNA news agency reported on Saturday.
There was no immediate confirmation from Saudi authorities.
The Mehr news agency reported in early July that Saudi officials were not allowing the ship, the Happiness 1, to leave the port because of a dispute over the payment of repair costs.
Iran and Saudi Arabia are arch-adversaries in the Middle East, backing opposite sides in several regional conflicts.

'Our priority continues to be to find a way to de-escalate the situation.
'That's why I reached out to the Iranian foreign minister, that's why due process in Gibraltar continues.
'We need to see due process happening in Iran as well, we need to see the illegal seizing of a British flagged vessel reversed, we need that ship released, and we continue to be very concerned about the safety and welfare of the 23 crew members.'
Mr Hunt, according to The Telegraph, will address the Commons to announce a range of diplomatic and economic sanctions - including the seizure of assets - to force the Iranians to release the Stena Impero.
It is also claimed the UK could seek to prevail upon the European Union and United Nations to implement stiff sanctions which were lifted as part of the 2016 Iranian nuclear deal.
Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt described the incident as a 'hostile act' and told Sky News the frigate was 60 minutes away from being able to help.
Downing Street said Prime Minister Theresa May was in her constituency but was being kept informed of developments.
Former chief of defence staff Lord Richards said Britain was 'pretty limited' in what military action it could take without the support of allies such as America, should economic sanctions fail to resolve the situation.
But Mr Hunt said he had spoken to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about the situation, and President Donald Trump said the US would be 'working with the UK'.
Germany and France have supported Britain by condemning the actions of the Iranian regime. Berlin has described the seizure as an 'unjustifiable intrusion' on shipping using the Persian Gulf.
A spokesman for the German foreign ministry said the ship and crew should be released immediately.
Both Paris and Berlin stressed the need to 'de-escalate' the situation in the Gulf.
The Foreign Office earlier summoned the Iranian charge d'affaires, Mohsen Omidzamani, following the incident.
Iran has directly linked the seizure of the vessel with Britain's role in detaining a tanker carrying Iranian oil earlier this month.
A spokesman for Iran's Guardian Council was quoted as saying 'the rule of reciprocal action is well known in international law' and that Tehran made the right decision in the face of an 'illegitimate economic war and seizure of oil tankers;.
The explanation, which contrasts with a suggestion on Friday night that the Stena Impero was 'violating international maritime rules' and had collided with a fishing boat, came as the UK Government warned British ships to stay away from the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian TV showed balaclava-clad commandos boarding the tanker from a helicopter.
Military chiefs urge next PM to 'send in the Marines' to protect British ships as Iran releases dramatic footage of moment balaclava-clad commandos abseiled from helicopter and hijacked tanker 16280476-7266005-image-a-28_1563617762606

+26

An image released by the Iran Students News Agency (ISNA), which is partially funded by the country's Government, claims to show the seized British tanker Stena Impero anchored in southern Iran
[size=18]First footage of seized British oil tanker Stena Impero released

Loaded: 0%
Progress: 0%
0:00
Previous
Play
Skip
Mute

[/size][/size]

Current Time0:00
/
Duration Time0:48

[size][size][size]
Fullscreen
Need Text

[/size]