According to a report Friday, an apparent suicide drone targeted a tanker owned by an international firm led by an Israeli last week in the Arabian Sea.
According to BBC Persian, which cited a US military officer and a regional military source, the strike on Campo Square involved several Iranian ships and most likely the Shahed 136 drone, which Russia has been deploying in its invasion of Ukraine.
According to the BBC, the Campo Square is held by Zodiac Maritime Company, which is owned by Israeli shipping mogul Eyal Ofer. In response, Zodiac stated that the tanker is handled by a Greek company, Eletson.
Eletson later confirmed the incident, but denied any involvement by Iranian Navy boats.
“Eletson confirms an incident involving our managed vessel, the Liberian flagged goods tanker Campo Square,” the company stated in a statement. “The vessel was hit by an airborne object while in the Arabian Sea roughly 300 nautical miles off the shores of India and Oman,” Eletson said, adding that the event happened on February 10.
“We can certify that both the vessel and crew are safe and proceeding as planned. The vessel has minor damage, according to the business, who also stated that they “had made the necessary notifications to the relevant authorities.”
According to a military source, the strike could signify a “intensification of Iran’s threatening operations against shipping in the region.”
The source also told the reporter that the strike was carried out by Iran.
The British Foreign Office stated that it was working to resolve the issue while emphasising that ships must be allowed to navigate freely.
Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) typically transport crude oil from the nations where it is extracted to the countries where it is refined into products. These ships can normally carry 350,000 tonnes of crude oil in a single cargo.
At Truoosh, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. All product details reflect the price and availability at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to on our site, Truoosh may earn commission.
