Iranian Cargo Ship in Mediterranean Damaged in Attack

An Iranian container ship was damaged in a terrorist attack on its way to Europe in the Mediterranean earlier this week, the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line Group said on Friday.
Ali Ghiasian, the shipping group’s spokesman, told Nour News that the ship, named Shahr-e Kord, was sailing the high seas on Wednesday when it was hit by an explosive object.
He said the explosion caused a small fire that was quickly put out by the crew members.
The vessel’s hull sustained slight damage, according to the spokesman, but those aboard were unharmed and the ship will continue on its route after damage assessment and repair. 
“Such terrorist acts are a clear example of naval piracy and runs counter to the international law on the safety of commercial vessels,” Ghiasian said, stressing that Iran will take legal action through relevant international institutions to identify the perpetrators.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh also said on Saturday that reports have confirmed “an act of sabotage” on the ship in clear violation of international maritime laws.
The incident comes two weeks after an Israeli-owned cargo ship said it had come under attack in the Sea of Oman, claiming that it suffered holes on both sides of its hull.
Israel immediately blamed Iran for the alleged incident, an accusation Tehran categorically rejected.
Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations Majid Takht-Ravanchi said in a letter to the United Nations Security Council that the incident “has all the characteristics of a complicated false flag operation by actors in order to pursue their malign policies and to advance their illegitimate objectives”.
Israeli officials did not comment when asked if Israel was involved in the Shahr-e Kord incident reported by Iran. 
Two maritime security sources told Reuters that initial indications were that the Iranian container ship had been intentionally targeted by an unknown source.
A third maritime security source said three other Iranian ships had been damaged in recent weeks by unknown causes while sailing through the Red Sea.
A report by The Wall Street Journal claimed on Thursday that the Israeli regime had been involved in a clandestine campaign of attacks on Iranian ships carrying oil and arms to Syria since 2019.
The Israeli attacks started in late 2019 and targeted both Iranian vessels and other ships with Iranian cargo, the report claimed, citing “US and regional officials”.
Israeli officials declined to comment on the report and Iranian officials have not responded either.