An Israeli-owned merchant ship was attacked in the Indian Ocean on Friday, according to a U.S. military source. This is the second Israeli ship that has been attacked. Initial hypotheses suggest that the attack was carried out with an Iranian Shahed-136 drone.
According to AP sources, the Israeli cargo ship was damaged but no human casualties were reported. The crew abandoned the ship to save their lives. It was a CMA CGM Symi, which was flying the Maltese flag at the time of the attack. The attack took place in international waters. Following the attack, the ship was seriously damaged.
AP sources did not make any statement as to who is the culprit behind the attack. However, the use of a Shahed-136 drone means that it is more likely that it is Iran or some military group related to the Islamist regime, such as the Houthis from Yemen.
The crew seemed to be aware that they were in danger due to their response. Shortly after leaving the Dubai Port, they turned off their tracking system. The ship's route could be followed through tracking applications until the signal was cut off. This is a measure that crews usually take if they believe they may be the target of a hacking attack.
