TEHRAN, Iran, June 2 (ANI) — Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for targeting the Panama-flagged container ship MSC Sariska V, which it described as a “U.S.-owned” vessel, with a cruise missile, according to Iranian media reports.
The IRGC said the operation was carried out in retaliation for a previous attack on an Iranian vessel near the coast of Oman.
The claim follows an incident Monday in which a cargo ship transiting the Arabian Gulf was struck by an unidentified projectile, causing a large explosion off the coast of Iraq and prompting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the blast.
According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a British maritime security monitoring organization, the vessel was struck on its starboard side while sailing about 40 nautical miles (74 kilometers) southeast of Umm Qasr.
UKMTO said the impact was followed by a significant explosion but noted that it had not confirmed the identity of the vessel involved.
The organization reported that all crew members survived without injury and that the ship was able to continue its voyage to its next port of call.
UKMTO also said it was unaware of any environmental damage resulting from the incident and confirmed that authorities were investigating.
The vessel was later identified as the Panama-flagged MSC Sariska V, according to a Gulf News report citing Iraq’s Alsumaria News.
The report stated that an explosion occurred within Iraqi territorial waters near buoy No. 5 after the vessel had completed cargo unloading operations at Umm Qasr Port.
However, in contrast to the IRGC’s claim of a missile strike, preliminary assessments suggested that the explosion may have been caused by an internal mechanical malfunction rather than an external attack.
Citing a security source, Alsumaria News reported that investigators had found no evidence indicating that the vessel had been deliberately targeted by hostile actors.
The report further stated that all personnel aboard the ship were unharmed and that any damage appeared to be limited to the vessel itself. (ANI)
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