As the ship sailed between Indian and Oman, it was hit by a missile that damaged it.

A missile is launched during the annual military drill, dubbed “Zolphaghar 99”, in the Gulf of Oman with the participation of Navy, Air and Ground forces, Iran on September 9, 2020 (photo credit: WANA NEWS AGENCY/REUTERS)
A missile is launched during the annual military drill, dubbed “Zolphaghar 99”, in the Gulf of Oman with the participation of Navy, Air and Ground forces, Iran on September 9, 2020 (photo credit: WANA NEWS AGENCY/REUTERS)

 

An Iranian missile was fired at an Israeli ship in the Arabian Sea, hitting and damaging it, N12 reported Thursday.

The container ship is owned by an Israeli businessman and was making its way to Tanzania from India, it reported.

As the ship sailed between India and Oman, it was hit by a missile and damaged, the report said.

The incident was reported to Israeli security officials and to the ship’s owners. The ship will continue on its way to India, where the damage will be assessed, N12 reported.

Israeli security officials are examining the possible implications of the incident and estimate that it could mean Iran intends to attack more Israeli ships, the report said.

The ship is owned by Haifa-based XT Management, it said.

Iran was also the main suspect behind an attack in late February on the Israeli-owned cargo vessel MV Helios Ray, which was damaged by a mysterious explosion in the Gulf of Oman.

“We will need to keep investigating, but we can say for sure that Iran is attempting to damage Israeli infrastructure and to hurt Israeli citizens,” Defense Minister Benny Gantz said at the time. The ship’s proximity to Iran during the incident has strengthened the suspicions against Tehran, he told KAN Reshet Bet.

Earlier this month, Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiee said Iran was seeking to “secure the open seas,” suggesting a potential threat to Israeli ships. He was noncommittal about Iran’s involvement in the attack on the Helios Ray.

As reported by The Jerusalem Post