An Israeli merchant vessel has reportedly been targeted in the northern tip of the Indian Ocean, hours before a four-day truce between the regime and the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas came into effect.
Informed sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Lebanon’s Arabic-language al-Mayadaeen television news network that the vessel was directly hit in the early hours of Friday morning, and caught fire as a result of the attack.
No party has claimed responsibility for the operation yet.
On Saturday, an American defense official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity that a container ship owned by an Israeli billionaire had come under attack by a drone in the Indian Ocean.
The defense official added that the CMA CGM Symi was suspected to have been targeted by an unmanned aerial vehicle. The drone exploded, causing damage to the Malta-flagged vessel, but not injuring any of its crew.
“We continue to monitor the situation closely,” the official said.
CMA CGM, a major shipper based in Marseille, France, referred questions to the Symi’s owner, Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping. That company is ultimately controlled by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer.
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.”
According to data from MarineTraffic.com analyzed by the AP, the ship had its Automatic Identification System tracker switched off since Tuesday when it left Dubai’s Jebel Ali port.
Tensions are high with regard to the movement of ships in light of the Israeli onslaught on the Gaza Strip, mainly following threats by the Yemeni Armed Forces to target any ships owned or operated by Israeli companies.
Last week, Yemeni naval units managed to capture an Israeli ship, identified as the Galaxy Leader, in the Red Sea.
Al-Mayadeen television news network, citing informed sources, reported at the time that 52 people were aboard the Bahamian-flagged ship.
The Yemeni Armed Forces used a helicopter and hovered with it over the Israeli ship before rappelling down to the deck and taking control of it, NBC News reported.
