Saturday, 27 February 2021 (YJC)_ Israeli Defence Minister claimed Iran was behind attack on Israeli-owned ship.
Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz has claimed that his "initial assessment" of the incident in the Gulf of Oman involving the Israeli ship on Thursday indicated that Iran was behind it.
The cargo ship, MV Helios Ray, owned by the Israeli company Helios Ray Ltd, was sailing through the Gulf of Oman on its way from Saudi Arabia to Singapore when it suffered a blast to the hull on 25 February.
The cause of the explosion was unclear when it was first reported by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations and little is known so far about the damage done, except for the fact that both the vessel and its crew are safe. Helios Ray is reportedly docked in a Dubai port to undergo repairs following the blast.
Iran has not yet commented on Tel Aviv's allegations or earlier media reports that Israel suspects Tehran was responsible for the explosion.
The Islamic Republic was previously accused of staging attacks on commercial vessels in the Gulf of Oman by the US in May and June 2019, but Tehran strongly denied the accusations at the time.