An Israeli mine attack has damaged an Iranian command vessel. The incident took place on Tuesday in the Red Sea. The ship had reportedly been damaged below the water line.

The Middle East Eye reports that an Iranian official, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “The Israelis had notified the United States that its forces had struck the vessel at about 7.30am local time.”  Israel was supposedly retaliating for earlier Iranian strikes on Israeli vessels.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Saeed Khatibzadeh, said that the ‘Saviz’, had been targeted with limpet mines. He said, “The explosion occurred on Tuesday morning near the Djibouti coast and caused minor damage with no casualties.” Khatibzadeh added, “The vessel was a civilian ship stationed there to secure the region against pirates.”

Other reports read that the vessel was attacked off the coast of Eritrea and had been  affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. However, there has been no evidence supplied supporting this.

Tuesday’s attack is the latest in a series of attacks on Israeli and Iranian owned cargo ships since late February. According to the MME, there have been three previous reported attacks on Iranian or Israeli owned vessels since February 25.

Umm Muhammed Umar