Explosion strikes Israeli-owned ship in Gulf of Oman
Occupied Palestine (QNN)- An explosion struck an Israeli-owned cargo ship sailing out of the Middle East on Friday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and a maritime security firm said on Friday.
The crew and vessel were safe, according to the UKMTO, which is run by the British navy. The explosion in the Gulf of Oman forced the vessel to head to the nearest port.
The incident occurred at 20:40 GMT on Thursday, the UKMTO said, but gave no details about a possible cause.
“Vessels transiting the area are advised to exercise caution,” it said.
Maritime security firm Dryad Global said the MV Helios Ray was a vehicle carrier owned by Helios Ray Ltd, an Israeli firm registered in the Isle of Man. The ship was en route to Singapore from Dammam in Saudi Arabia.
While the circumstances of the explosion remain unclear, Dryad Global said the blast might have stemmed from “asymmetric activity by Iranian military,” which it said would be “commensurate” with heightened regional tensions.
The incident recalled the summer of 2019, when the same site saw a series of suspected attacks that the US Navy blamed on Iran, which Tehran denied.
