Skip to main content

Iran suspected of being behind missile that hit Israeli vessel

An unnamed senior Israeli security official suggests that a missile that hit a container ship owned by an Israeli company may have fired by Iran.
Amos Yadlin

The Israeli-owned container ship LORI was hit by a missile early March 25 in the Arabian Sea. The missile was reported to have been small and to have apparently caused little damage to the body of the vessel, with no injuries registered. Blame was immediately cast on Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The Liberian-flagged ship had departed Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on March 21, heading for the port of Mundra on India’s west coast, when it was struck by the missile. The vessel's owners — XT Management — decided that the LORI would stay on course, with a more extensive inspection of the damage to take place upon arrival in India.

This was the second time an Israeli-owned ship was targeted in that area in the space of a month. On Feb. 26, the Israeli-owned MV Helios Ray car carrier suffered a blast while sailing in the Gulf of Oman, forcing it to change course and head for the nearest shipyard for inspection.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran of attacking the ship, but Tehran had denied any connection to the incident. At the time, Israeli security experts disagreed on whether the country should retaliate against Iran. This disagreement might be the reason why most senior Israeli officials, including Netanyahu, kept mum on the March 25 incident.

However, on March 13, Iranian media claimed Israel had been behind an attack in the Mediterranean Sea a few days earlier that damaged an Iranian container ship. This was a reference to the Shahr e Kord, which was hit by an explosive device that caused a small fire. 

In February, The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel had targeted at least 12 ships bound for Syria, most of them transporting Iranian oil, over the previous two years.

Following the March 25 attack, Israeli reactions came mostly from analysts or anonymous sources rather than in open statements from Israeli officials. Israel’s public broadcaster Kan published an assessment March 25 by an unnamed senior defense official that the IRGC had fired the missile at the LORI. Also, retired Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin, the outgoing head of Israel's Institute for National Security Studies, was quoted on the Israeli news site Walla as saying March 25, "Clearly, Iran has decided to retaliate against Israel over its attacks in the maritime space, with an operation that would take a toll, and that will principally send a message: Iran won’t accept that its ships are attacked, and it has the capabilities to cause Israel harm in that sphere.’’

The XT Management group, which is chaired by Udi Angel, operates many ships that depart from various ports across the globe, including from Ashdod and Haifa on Israel's Mediterranean Sea coast and from Eilat on the Red Sea.

Rani Ungar, who owns the MV Helios Ray, also operates other ships. These also could become targets. In addition, it has been common for around three fuel containers to arrived annually in Eilat. Now, with last year's Abraham Accords, this maritime traffic has practically doubled. While this may be helping Israel's economy, it is also increasing Israeli maritime vulnerability.

 

Join hundreds of Middle East professionals with Al-Monitor PRO.

Business and policy professionals use PRO to monitor the regional economy and improve their reports, memos and presentations. Try it for free and cancel anytime.

Already a Member? Sign in

Free

The Middle East's Best Newsletters

Join over 50,000 readers who access our journalists dedicated newsletters, covering the top political, security, business and tech issues across the region each week.
Delivered straight to your inbox.

Free

What's included:
Our Expertise

Free newsletters available:

  • The Takeaway & Week in Review
  • Middle East Minute (AM)
  • Daily Briefing (PM)
  • Business & Tech Briefing
  • Security Briefing
  • Gulf Briefing
  • Israel Briefing
  • Palestine Briefing
  • Turkey Briefing
  • Iraq Briefing
Expert

Premium Membership

Join the Middle East's most notable experts for premium memos, trend reports, live video Q&A, and intimate in-person events, each detailing exclusive insights on business and geopolitical trends shaping the region.

$25.00 / month
billed annually

Become Member Start with 1-week free trial
What's included:
Our Expertise AI-driven

Memos - premium analytical writing: actionable insights on markets and geopolitics.

Live Video Q&A - Hear from our top journalists and regional experts.

Special Events - Intimate in-person events with business & political VIPs.

Trend Reports - Deep dive analysis on market updates.

All premium Industry Newsletters - Monitor the Middle East's most important industries. Prioritize your target industries for weekly review:

  • Capital Markets & Private Equity
  • Venture Capital & Startups
  • Green Energy
  • Supply Chain
  • Sustainable Development
  • Leading Edge Technology
  • Oil & Gas
  • Real Estate & Construction
  • Banking

We also offer team plans. Please send an email to pro.support@al-monitor.com and we'll onboard your team.

Already a Member? Sign in

The Middle East in your inbox Insights in your inbox.

Deepen your knowledge of the Middle East

Trend Reports

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (4th R) attends a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (3rd L) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on February 22, 2019. (Photo by HOW HWEE YOUNG / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should read HOW HWEE YOUNG/AFP via Getty Images)
Premium

From roads to routers: The future of China-Middle East connectivity

A general view shows the solar plant in Uyayna, north of Riyadh, on March 29, 2018. - On March 27, Saudi announced a deal with Japan's SoftBank to build the world's biggest solar plant. (Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE / AFP) (Photo credit should read FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images)
Premium

Regulations on Middle East renewable energy industry starting to take shape

Start your PRO membership today.

Join the Middle East's top business and policy professionals to access exclusive PRO insights today.

Join Al-Monitor PRO Start with 1-week free trial