One of the richest people in Israel owns a cargo ship flying the Maltese flag that was the target of a possible Iranian drone strike on Friday in the Indian Ocean, according to a US defence official who wished to remain anonymous to the Associated Press (AP) on Saturday.
The attack on the ship CMA CGM Symi on Friday took place in international seas, according to the AP. It coincides with growing threats to regional transportation lines during Israel’s conflict with the Palestinian militant group Hamas. According to the Arab news channel Al-Mayadeen, the strike was carried out just before the four-day ceasefire in the beleaguered Gaza enclave began on Friday in order to permit the exchange of prisoners for hostages and the delivery of humanitarian goods.
The unidentified US official also revealed to AP that while a suspected Shahed-136 drone caused damage to the ship, no crew members were hurt. The person declined to explain why US intelligence believes Iran is at fault, telling the news agency only that “we continue to monitor the situation closely.”
According to AP, which saw maritime data, the ship had disabled its Automatic Identification System (AIS) tracker ahead of the attack. This is a routine action done by crew members when they think a vessel may be a target.
Risk management firm Ambrey informed the AP that “the attack is likely to have been targeted due to the vessel’s Israeli affiliation through [Israeli-owned shipping management company] Eastern Pacific Shipping.” “Days before the incident, the vessel’s AIS transmissions were off, indicating that this does not prevent an attack on its own.”
The Israeli millionaire Idan Ofer owns Eastern Pacific Shipping, based in Singapore, which is the owner of the Symi. The Sunday Times, a UK publication, revealed in 2011 that elite Israeli special forces personnel were purportedly transported by ships owned by the Ofer family to carry out operations, including assassinations, in the area.
The Houthi rebels in Yemen declared earlier this week that Israeli ships are a “legitimate target,” a move that may have opened the door to a wider front in the fight between Israel and Hamas. International officials have been warning for weeks that the battle would spread into a wider Middle Eastern regional conflict.
Israel declared last week that the Houthis had taken control of a cargo ship owned by the British in the southern Red Sea, calling the event a “terrorist act by Iran.” Later, the Houthis verified the information, claiming that the ship was of Israeli origin. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration denied any involvement while denouncing the hijacking.
According to Associated Press-cited public documents, shipping tycoon Abraham “Rami” Ungar, one of the richest men in Israel and a backer of right-wing causes, formed the British company that owns the ship, Ray Car Carriers.
