ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The Iranian foreign ministry on Thursday condemned what it called the Israeli regime’s “terrorist” attack on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, describing it as a “clear violation of international rules.”

Israeli naval forces intercepted several vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla late Wednesday, assuming control of the ships and detaining the activists onboard.

The fleet started with 44 vessels, carrying activists aiming to deliver aid to Gaza, but only four are still sailing as of the writing of this article with the number rapidly dropping.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei praised the humanitarian action of the international activists and described Israel’s action in attacking the convoy as “a clear violation of international rules and a terrorist act,” according to a statement released Thursday.

He further accused Israel of “ethnic cleansing and the killing of innocent people in Gaza,” urging governments to stop the genocide and to “hold the criminals accountable.”

Following widespread international reaction, Israel’s foreign ministry said that several vessels were “safely stopped,” with their passengers being transferred to an Israeli port where they will be deported to Europe.

Thursday marks the anniversary of Iran’s October 2024 attack on Israel, where it launched around 180 ballistic missiles in response to the killing of senior officials, including Hezbollah chief Hasan Nasrallah, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Abbas Nilforoushan.

Iran’s IRGC, marking the anniversary, warned in a statement that “every new mistake and possible aggression” by Israel would draw a “heavier, more precise and more deadly response than the True Promise operations.”

The statement added that “the era of unwarranted threats has ended,” vowing that “every aggression will result in a regrettable response.”

Tensions between Iran and Israel have escalated in recent years, especially after their 12-day war in June, during which major nuclear facilities and top IRGC and security commanders were targeted.

Israel's offensive in Gaza has killed over 66,000 people, most of whom are civilians, according to Gaza's health ministry. The bloodshed has drawn growing international backlash, most recently seen in a torrent of recognition of Palestinian statehood by Western countries, placing pressure on Israel and its allies to halt the conflict.