A container ship, the Malta-flagged CMA CGM SYMI (recently renamed Mayet), managed by an Israeli-controlled company, was hit by a suspected Iranian drone in the northeast Indian Ocean on Friday. The attack caused minor damage to the vessel, but fortunately, there were no injuries reported, according to a U.S. defense official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The drone in question appeared to be an Iranian Shahed-136, known for its “kamikaze” capabilities, carrying a small warhead that explodes on impact.
Iran has previously supplied these drones to Russia for use in Ukraine. The incident adds to escalating maritime security tensions, coinciding with the Israel-Hamas conflict and the recent seizure of an Israeli-linked cargo ship by Yemen’s Houthis—an Iranian ally—in the southern Red Sea. Israel denounced the vessel’s seizure as an “Iranian act of terrorism.”
The container ship, rented by Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS), controlled by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer, continued its voyage as planned after the incident. EPS confirmed the targeting of the vessel in a possible security incident, stating, “The vessel in question is currently sailing as planned. All crew are safe and well.” Notably, EPS ships have faced similar attacks in the past.
There has been no immediate comment from Iranian or Israeli officials. The vessel had turned off its transponder on Tuesday after departing Dubai’s Jebel Ali port, with uncertainty about whether it made a scheduled stop in Oman’s Sohar port on Wednesday. The United States has previously attributed unclaimed attacks on several vessels in the region to Iran, despite Tehran consistently denying involvement.
In a separate incident, the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) reported on Saturday that a ship in the Red Sea was directed to alter course by an entity claiming to represent Yemeni authorities, urging caution for other vessels in the area.
