Israeli Cargo Ship Attacked by ‘Mysterious Weapon’, Burns in Indian Ocean

BEIRUT – An closed cargo Israel reported to have been hit by a “mysterious weapon”, which caused the ship to catch fire in the Samudra northern part. The incident comes amid rising tensions between Jerusalem and Tehran.

Lebanese media outlet Al-Mayadeen reported on Saturday’s attack, citing “reliable sources,” and posted an image of the damaged ship with black smoke billowing from the fire on one side of the ship. An unnamed Israeli official has also confirmed the incident to the Jerusalem Post. The newspaper claimed that Al-Mayadeen’s report frame “related Hizbullah “showing the attack was retaliation Iran for the drone strike on Iran’s nuclear facility last month near Karaj.

Also read: Iran’s former intelligence minister: Mossad has penetrated the Tehran regime

The ship was reportedly anchored in the port of Jeddah, on the Red Sea, and was heading for the United Arab Emirates – on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula – when it came under attack. There were no reports of injuries, and the extent of the damage was unclear.

Media in Israel identified the ship as the Tyndall, which is partly owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer. The ship flies the flag of Liberia and is operated by a non-Israeli crew Russia Today, Sunday (4/7/2021).

Shadows of war between Israel and Iran have been simmering at sea since 2019, with Israel reportedly attacking ships transporting Iranian oil or weapons bound for Hezbollah. Another Israeli-owned ship bearing the Liberian flag, a container ship called Lori, was hit by a missile while heading for the Gulf of Oman in March. The ship was lightly damaged, and as in the case of Tyndall, Israeli officials suspect Iran was the culprit.

Also read: Israeli Ship Hit by Explosion in Gulf of Oman, Crew Safe

The latest incident comes one day after Lieutenant General Aviv Kohavi, chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, warned that those who attack his country will face fierce retaliation.

“Anyone who tries to harm the state of Israel knows that any offensive enemy activity, near or far, will be answered with a significant open or covert response,” Kohavi said at a graduation ceremony for new IDF officers.

“This is our attitude in the past, and this is our attitude in the future,” he said.

(ian)

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