According to multiple reports, the fire broke out after an Israeli-owned cargo ship was attacked in the northern Indian Ocean on Saturday.
The Israeli-owned ship departed from the port of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and was on its way to the Jebel Ali portion in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, according to the pro-Hezbollah Lebanese TV station Al-Mayadin.
An unidentified Israeli official told the Walla news site that the vessel is owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer. The cargo ship is reported to be a Liberia-flagged CSAV TYNDALL owned by Offer Amount Marine, as tracking sites show it traveled from Jeddah to the UAE, as reported by Al-Mayadeen was.
According to the Cannes public broadcaster, none of the ship’s crew were Israeli citizens, and no one was reported injured.
Sources told al-Mayadeen that the fire on the ship was caused by an unidentified weapon.
The Israeli-owned CSAV TYNDALL was leaving Saudi Arabia for the UAE on July 3, 2021. (MarineTraffic.com screenshot)
Israeli source quoted by local media Saturday said he suspected arch-enemy Iran was behind the alleged attack, perhaps in response to Targeting an Iranian centrifuge production site last month.
In recent months, Israel and Iran have accused each other of attacking several merchant ships, damaging them with explosives. In each case the ships were only lightly damaged and there were no casualties in the incidents.
On 26 February, in the Gulf of Oman, an explosion occurred aboard the Israeli-owned MV Helios Re, a Bahamian-flagged cargo ship. Then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran of attacking the ship. Iran swiftly denied the allegation, but experts say the attack is a hallmark of Tehran’s previous attacks.
Another Israeli-owned ship reportedly came under missile fire In the Gulf of Oman in late March, possibly by Iranian forces.
The Wall Street Journal reported in March that Israel has targeted at least 12 ships bound for Syria, most with Iranian oil transports, mines and other weapons.
