Blue and White party chairman and former IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz called the recent Iranian seizure of a foreign oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz a “wake up” call for Europe, urging European leaders to ‘forcefully stop’ Iranian aggression.
“As the world stands silent in the face of Iran's aggression, the regime picks up the pace,” Gantz said in a statement Thursday afternoon, after Iranian media reported that the Revolutionary Guard had seized a foreign oil tanker carrying one million liters of fuel.
“It is time for the world, and Europe in particular, to wake up. There are times when things must be forcefully stopped in their tracks. This is one of those times.”
“The Iranians have to know that Israel can and will defend itself. The rest of the world needs to send a similar signal.”
Earlier on Thursday, Iranian government media reported that the Revolutionary Guards had intercepted a foreign oil tanker near the island of Larak in the Strait of Hormuz.
No information regarding the identity of the ship, or its country of origin were disclosed.
The tanker is said to have a crew of 12, and was carrying one million liters of oil, about half of its two million liter capacity.