Iran Attacks Israeli Ship In Strait Of Hormuz; Tensions Rise In Middle East

Tehran: Iran claimed on Saturday that it had attacked an Israeli vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. The ship reportedly caught fire following this drone attack. A commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy confirmed the attack. However, there has been no response from Israel so far. The Iranian attack has further escalated tensions across the entire Middle East.

What did Iran's Revolutionary Guards claim?

On the 'Sepah News' website, the Guards stated that they had targeted a commercial vessel, the 'MSC Ishyka,' at Bahrain's Khalifa bin Salman Port. "This vessel was owned by the Israeli regime and was flying the flag of a third country." The Guards' naval force had previously stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that the attack on the ship took place in the Strait of Hormuz. They stated, "A vessel linked to the Zionist regime was attacked by a drone in Hormuz, causing the ship to catch fire." According to the 'MarineTraffic' website, this Liberian-flagged vessel remained docked at a port in Bahrain as of Friday night.

A conflict has been ongoing between Iran, Israel, and the United States for the past month. The situation escalated on February 28 when Israel and the U.S. jointly launched airstrikes against Iran, resulting in the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. This provoked a furious reaction from Iran, which subsequently launched attacks on Israeli targets and U.S. military bases across the Gulf region. The conflict has claimed numerous lives so far. Iran has even shot down a U.S. fighter jet. Furthermore, Iran blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, triggering a global oil crisis. However, it has since reopened the Strait to friendly nations—including India—though "enemy" nations such as the U.S. and Israel remain firmly in its crosshairs.

Can Indian Vessels Traverse Strait of Hormuz?

Meanwhile, the Indian government announced on Saturday that an Indian-flagged tanker carrying LPG has safely transited the Strait of Hormuz. India is the world's second-largest importer of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). Over the past three weeks, New Delhi has successfully secured safe passage for several Indian-flagged vessels. On Saturday, the Ministry of Shipping confirmed that the LPG carrier 'Green Savvy' had successfully navigated this narrow waterway. A statement issued by the Ministry read: "The 'Green Savvy,' carrying a cargo of 46,650 metric tonnes of LPG and a crew of 25 sailors, has safely transited the Strait of Hormuz." However, the statement provided no further details regarding the vessel's final destination. It was not given.