An Israeli billionaire-owned container ship was attacked by drones suspected to have been launched by Iran in the Indian Ocean.
On Friday, CMA CGM’s ship Symi came under the attack of a triangle-shaped, bomb-carrying Shahed-136 drone while in international waters, an American defence official told AP news agency.
Though the vessel suffered damages, there were no injuries to the crew.
“We continue to monitor the situation closely,” the official was quoted as saying.
Minimal damage to ship
The news was later confirmed by Al-Mayadeen, a pan-Arab satellite channel that is politically allied with the Iranian-backed Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah.
According to The Times of Israel, the damage caused to the ship was minimal.
It reported that the ship had no ties with Israel as Symi is leased to CMA CGM by Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping, which is a company ultimately controlled by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer.
The attack is likely to have been targeted, due to the vessel’s Israeli affiliation through Eastern Pacific Shipping,” the private intelligence firm Ambrey told the AP.
“The vessel’s AIS transmissions were off days prior to the event, indicating this alone does not prevent an attack.”
A statement issued on behalf of Eastern Pacific acknowledged the company being “aware of claims that a container ship under the company’s management was targeted in a possible security incident overnight on Friday.”
“The vessel in question is currently sailing as planned,” the statement said. “All crew are safe and well.”
Israel-Hamas war spreading to Gulf region
“The attack comes at take time when the whole Gulf region finds itself in turmoil in the Israel-Hamas war. Iranian-backed rebels like Houthis and Hezbollah have been launching attacks on Israel, and US vessels that were deployed after the war.
Recently, the Houthis seized a vehicle transport ship in the Red Sea off Yemen.
On Saturday, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which provides warnings to sailors in the Middle East, sounded alert and asked operating companies to exercise action, after “an entity declaring itself to be the Yemeni authorities” had ordered at least one ship away from a location off Hodeida, Yemen, in the Red Sea.
“Vessels in the vicinity are advised to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity,” it warned.
Iranian-backed militias in Iraq also have attacked American troops in both Iraq and Syria during the war, but Iran itself has yet to be linked directly to an attack.
(With inputs from agencies)
